哎 (āi) - An interjection expressing surprise, regret, dissatisfaction, or used

哎Tone 1

āi ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 口

安

哎 · āi

An interjection expressing surprise, regret, dissatisfaction, or used to draw attention.

An interjection expressing surprise, regret, dissatisfaction, or used

Usage highlights

HeyAlasOh dearHey heySighTsk tsk

Synonyms

  • 唉— interjection expressing sadness or regret
  • 嘿— interjection to get attention or express surprise

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Hey, wait for me!(哎，等等我！)
  • Oh no, I forgot my keys.(哎，我忘了带钥匙。)
  • Hey, look at this!(哎，看这个！)
  • Alas, what a pity.(哎，真可惜。)

Collocations

  • Hey(哎)
  • Alas(哎)
  • Oh dear(哎呀)
  • Hey hey(哎哎)
  • Sigh(哎)
  • Tsk tsk(哎)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Commonly used in spoken Chinese as a discourse marker.
  • Conveys a range of emotions from surprise to regret, depending on context and tone.

FAQ