哎 meaning and stroke order
Hey!; (interjection used to attract attention or to express surprise or disapprobation)
How to write 哎, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 哎
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- hey!
- (interjection used to attract attention or to express surprise or disapprobation)
How 哎 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 艾 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 哎
哎 (āi) is a mouth 口 next to 艾 (ài), which gives the sound. Picture a mouth letting out a quick "ai" when something catches you off guard.
哎 is used at the start of a sentence to get someone's attention or to show surprise or mild annoyance. It often appears in 哎呀 (āiyā) and 哎哟 (āiyō). Example: 哎，你的手机掉了。 (Āi, nǐ de shǒujī diào le.) Hey, you dropped your phone.
Common mistake: Learners mix up 哎 with 唉 (āi). Both are interjections, but 唉 is mainly a sigh of sadness or resignation, while 哎 is for calling out or surprise. Also do not confuse 哎 with 艾 (ài), which has no 口 and means mugwort.
Common words with 哎
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
哎 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 哎
How many strokes are in 哎?
哎 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 哎 mean?
哎 (āi) means hey!; (interjection used to attract attention or to express surprise or disapprobation). A common word with it is 哎呀 (āiyā), meaning "interjection of wonder, shock or admiration".
How do you pronounce 哎?
哎 is pronounced āi, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 哎?
The radical of 哎 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 哎 under this radical.
Is 哎 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 哎 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 哎呀 and 哎哟?
哎呀 (āiyā) usually expresses surprise, frustration, or admiration, like "oh no" or "wow". 哎哟 (āiyō) is often used for sudden pain or a stronger shock, like "ow" or "yikes".
Is 哎 polite to use when calling someone?
It is casual and fine with friends or family. With strangers or superiors, it can sound abrupt, so phrases like 你好 (nǐ hǎo) or 请问 (qǐngwèn) are safer.