哎

• Pinyin: āi
• Desglose de hanzi: 哎 = 口 (mouth) + 矣 (phonetic component)

Significado

Eh; ay (interjección).

A casual interjection used to call someone's attention, express mild surprise, or signal a sudden thought. Less emphatic than 哎呀. Often appears at the start of a sentence.

Ejemplos

1. 哎，你怎么在这儿？我还以为你出差去了呢。
2. 哎，差点忘了告诉你，明天的会议改到下午三点了。
3. 哎，你听说了吗？隔壁那家咖啡店要关门了。

Guía de uso

Contexto: everyday, conversation

Tono: casual

Correcto

• 哎，等一下！(Hey, wait a moment!)
• 哎，我想起来了。(Oh, I just remembered.)

Incorrecto

• 在正式演讲中用'哎'开头 (Don't start a formal speech with 哎 — it's too casual)

Origen e historia

An onomatopoeic interjection mimicking a natural vocal sound to attract attention.

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal