哀 (āi) - sorrow, grief, mourning & to pity, to lament

哀Tone 1

āi ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

安

哀 · āi

sorrow, grief, mourning;

to pity, to lament

sorrow, grief, mourningto pity, to lament

Usage highlights

sorrow and griefto mournto lamentto pitymournful soundfuneral music

Synonyms

  • 悲— sadness, sorrow
  • 伤— grief, hurt
  • 痛— pain, anguish

Antonyms

  • 乐— joy, happiness
  • 喜— delight, pleasure

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She felt deep sorrow (哀伤) at the loss.
  • The nation mourned (哀悼) the tragedy.
  • He expressed pity (哀怜) for the orphan.
  • The sound of lamentation (哀鸣) filled the air.

Collocations

  • sorrow and grief(哀伤)
  • to mourn(哀悼)
  • to lament(哀叹)
  • to pity(哀怜)
  • mournful sound(哀鸣)
  • funeral music(哀乐)

Idioms

  • To lament one's misfortune and mind one's own business(哀而不伤)
  • To lament one's lot and injure oneself(哀毁骨立)
  • To go from joy to sorrow(乐极生哀)
  • To beg for mercy piteously(乞哀告怜)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, expressing grief (哀) was governed by ritual propriety, especially during mourning periods.
  • The character appears in classical texts like the Book of Songs (诗经) conveying deep emotional states.
  • It is associated with Confucian values of compassion and proper expression of emotion.

FAQ