哉 meaning and stroke order
Final exclamatory particle
How to write 哉, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 9
Meaning of 哉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (exclamatory or interrogative particle)
How 哉 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 哉
哉 has 口 (kǒu, mouth) tucked inside, the part that tells you its meaning. Picture a mouth letting out a final sigh at the end of a sentence, like "Alas" or "How great".
哉 is a classical particle placed at the end of a sentence to show strong feeling or to ask a rhetorical question. Today you mostly meet it in idioms, quotes, and playful or formal writing, for example 呜呼哀哉 (wū hū āi zāi, alas, how sad). In everyday speech people use 啊 (a) or 呢 (ne) instead.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 哉 with 栽 (zāi, to plant) and 载 (zài, to carry), which share the same frame but have 木 or 车 inside instead of 口. Remember that only the one with 口 is the speaking particle.
哉 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 哉
Learning 哉 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 哉
How many strokes are in 哉?
哉 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 哉 mean?
哉 (zāi) means final exclamatory particle.
How do you pronounce 哉?
哉 is pronounced zāi, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 哉?
The radical of 哉 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 哉 under this radical.
What does 善哉 mean?
善哉 (shàn zāi) means roughly "How good" or "Well said". It is a classical expression of approval and is often heard in Buddhist contexts or period dramas.
What is the meaning of 优哉游哉?
优哉游哉 (yōu zāi yóu zāi) describes someone living at ease, relaxed and carefree. The two 哉 add a rhythmic, exclamatory feel to the idiom.