咧 (liē) — (modal particle) used at sentence end to express exclamation, enthusiasm, or confirmation in casual speech
Definition
Sentence-final particle that adds a lively, exclamatory tone in casual speech — the speaker is sharing a feeling, not stating a fact. Pairs loosely with 啊 / 吧 in similar casual slots, but reads warmer and more enthusiastic.
bound form
(modal particle) used at sentence end to express exclamation, enthusiasm, or confirmation in casual speech
Easily confused
Examples
- 咧！Zhè ge dàn gāo hěn hǎo chī liē!This cake is really delicious!
- 咧！Nǐ zhōng yú lái le liē!You finally came!
- 咧！Míng tiān fàng jià liē!Tomorrow is a holiday!
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
The left part 口 shows this is about the mouth or speech, and the right part 列 gives the sound liè.
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