欸

See also: 唉

欸 U+6B38, 欸 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6B38 ← 欷 [U+6B37] CJK Unified Ideographs 欹 → [U+6B39]

Translingual

Han character

欸 (Kangxi radical 76, 欠+7, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈大弓人 (IKNO), four-corner 2748₂, composition ⿰矣欠)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 568, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 16090
• Dae Jaweon: page 956, character 19
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2140, character 11
• Unihan data for U+6B38

Chinese

simp. and trad.		欸
alternative forms		誒／诶 (ê/ei series) interjection 呃 Hokkien 吓 Hokkien

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (矣) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
唉	*qʰlɯː, *qɯː, *qrɯː, *qrɯːʔ
埃	*qlɯː
欸	*qɯː, *qʰrɯːs
娭	*qɯː, *qʰlɯ
挨	*qlɯːʔ, *qrɯː, *qrɯːʔ
騃	*ŋrɯːʔ, *sɢrɯʔ
俟	*sɢrɯʔ, *ɡlɯl
竢	*sɢrɯʔ
涘	*sɢrɯʔ
誒	*qʰlɯ
矣	*ɢlɯʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qɯː, *qʰrɯːs) : phonetic 矣 (OC *ɢlɯʔ) + semantic 欠 (“breath”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): āi (ai¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄞ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): oi¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: āi
    • Zhuyin: ㄞ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ai
    • Wade–Giles: ai¹
    • Yale: āi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ai
    • Palladius: ай (aj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀaɪ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: oi¹
    • Yale: ōi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: oi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: oi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɔːi̯⁵⁵/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

---

• Middle Chinese: 'oj, 'ojX

Rime
Character	欸	欸
Reading #	1/3	2/3
Initial (聲)	影 (34)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	咍 (41)	咍 (41)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	I
Fanqie	烏開切	於改切
Baxter	'oj	'ojX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔʌi/	/ʔʌiX/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔəi/	/ʔəiX/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔɒi/	/ʔɒiX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔəj/	/ʔəjX/
Li Rong	/ʔᴀi/	/ʔᴀiX/
Wang Li	/ɒi/	/ɒiX/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʔɑ̆i/	/ʔɑ̆iX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	āi	ǎi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	oi1	oi2

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*qɯː/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	欸
Reading #	1/2
No.	14935
Phonetic component	矣
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	哀
Old Chinese	/*qɯː/

Definitions

欸

1. ^‡ to scold loudly
2. Alternative form of 唉 (“interjection of agreement or sigh”)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ǎi (ai³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄞˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): aai², ai², oi²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ǎi
    • Zhuyin: ㄞˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ǎi
    • Wade–Giles: ai³
    • Yale: ǎi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ae
    • Palladius: ай (aj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀaɪ̯²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: aai², ai², oi²
    • Yale: áai, ái, ói
    • Cantonese Pinyin: aai², ai², oi²
    • Guangdong Romanization: ai², ei², oi²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /aːi̯³⁵/, /ɐi̯³⁵/, /ɔːi̯³⁵/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

Definitions

欸

1. Only used in 欸乃 (ǎinǎi, “an onomatopoeia”).

Compounds

• 欸乃
• 欸乃曲

 

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ê̄, ēi (ê¹, ei¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄝ, ㄟ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ê̄
    • Zhuyin: ㄝ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ê
    • Wade–Giles: eh¹
    • Yale: ē
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: è
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɛ⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ēi
    • Zhuyin: ㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ei
    • Wade–Giles: ei¹
    • Yale: ēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ei
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀeɪ̯⁵⁵/

Definitions

欸

1. An interjection calling attention.

   欸，我告訴你一個秘密。 [MSC, trad.]
   欸，我告诉你一个秘密。 [MSC, simp.]

   Ê̄, wǒ gàosu nǐ yī gè mìmì. [Pinyin]

   Hey, let me tell you a secret.

Pronunciation 4

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ế, éi (ê², ei²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄝˊ, ㄟˊ

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): --eh

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ế
    • Zhuyin: ㄝˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ế
    • Wade–Giles: eh²
    • Yale: é
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èr
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɛ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: éi
    • Zhuyin: ㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: éi
    • Wade–Giles: ei²
    • Yale: éi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: eir
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀeɪ̯³⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --eh
    • Tâi-lô: --eh

Definitions

欸

1. An interjection expressing surprise.

   欸，他怎麼走了！ [MSC, trad.]
   欸，他怎么走了！ [MSC, simp.]

   Ế, tā zěnme zǒu le! [Pinyin]

   Why, he's gone!

Pronunciation 5

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ê̌, ěi (ê³, ei³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄝˇ, ㄟˇ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ê̌
    • Zhuyin: ㄝˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ê̌
    • Wade–Giles: eh³
    • Yale: ě
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èè
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɛ²¹⁴/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ěi
    • Zhuyin: ㄟˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ěi
    • Wade–Giles: ei³
    • Yale: ěi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: eei
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀeɪ̯²¹⁴/

Definitions

欸

1. An interjection expressing disapproval.

   欸，話可不能這麼說！ [MSC, trad.]
   欸，话可不能这么说！ [MSC, simp.]

   Ê̌, huà kě bùnéng zhème shuō! [Pinyin]

   Huh, you can't say that!

Pronunciation 6

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ề, èi (ê⁴, ei⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄝˋ, ㄟˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ei⁶, e⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ề
    • Zhuyin: ㄝˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ề
    • Wade–Giles: eh⁴
    • Yale: è
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èh
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɛ⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: èi
    • Zhuyin: ㄟˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: èi
    • Wade–Giles: ei⁴
    • Yale: èi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ey
    • Palladius: эй (ej)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀeɪ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: ei⁶, e⁶
    • Yale: eih, eh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ei⁶, e⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: éi⁶, é⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ei̯²²/, /ɛː²²/

Definitions

欸

1. An interjection expressing agreement or promise.

   欸，我明天準時來！ [MSC, trad.]
   欸，我明天准时来！ [MSC, simp.]

   Ề, wǒ míngtiān zhǔnshí lái! [Pinyin]

   All right, I'll arrive on time tomorrow!

Pronunciation 7

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiè (xie⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄝˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiè
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄝˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: siè
    • Wade–Giles: hsieh⁴
    • Yale: syè
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shieh
    • Palladius: се (se)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: xeajH

Rime
Character	欸
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	皆 (33)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	許介切
Baxter	xeajH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hˠɛiH/
Pan Wuyun	/hᵚæiH/
Shao Rongfen	/xɐiH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/həɨjH/
Li Rong	/xɛiH/
Wang Li	/xɐiH/
Bernard Karlgren	/xăiH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiè
Expected Cantonese Reflex	haai3

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*qʰrɯːs/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	欸
Reading #	2/2
No.	14943
Phonetic component	矣
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	譮
Old Chinese	/*qʰrɯːs/
Notes	怒聲同譮

Definitions

欸

1. ^‡ Alternative form of 譮 (xiè, “angry sound”)

Pronunciation 8

• Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): ê²

---

• Hakka
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: ê²
    • Sinological IPA: /e¹¹/

Definitions

欸

1. (Hakka) Alternative form of 了

References

• “欸”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “Entry #7495”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.

Japanese

Kanji

欸

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

• On (unclassified): あい (ai); かい (kai)
• Kun: なげく (nageku)

Korean

Hanja

欸 (eum 애 (ae))

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

欸: Hán Nôm readings: ái

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Nom Foundation