哎 (āi) — (interjection) hey! (used to call someone's attention); (interjection) oh! / hey! (expressing surprise, realization, or mild disapproval)
Definition
哎 (āi) is a casual interjection used to call attention (like 喂 on the phone) and to react with surprise or mild objection. Unlike 哦 (oh, I see) it carries a touch of complaint or protest, not just realization.
interjection
hey! (used to call someone's attention)oh! / hey! (expressing surprise, realization, or mild disapproval)
Examples
- 哎，。āi, Nǐ guò lái yí xià.Hey, come over here for a moment.
- 哎，！āi, Yuán lái nǐ zài zhè lǐ!Oh, so you're here!
- 哎，？āi, Nǐ zěn me néng zhè yàng shuō?Hey, how can you say that?
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.
哎 pairs 口 (mouth), showing it is a spoken exclamation, with 艾, which gives the sound.
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