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噫 is a phono-semantic compound: the 口 radical on the left indicates a mouth-related sound or action, and the component 意 on the right provides the pronunciation yī. It serves as an interjection or onomatopoeia expressing a heavy sigh of sorrow, regret, or sudden surprise. In certain classical medical and literary texts, it was also used to mean belching. Nowadays, it is mostly confined to classical literature and poetic expressions of lament rather than everyday conversation.
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