哎
Character learning workspace

āi · interjection of surprise

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 3.0 · Level 5Frequency #2092
Watch · inspect · write

Learn every stroke in 哎

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Step-by-step explorer

See how 哎 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

8Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Left-rightCharacter structure

Keep the left side compact and leave enough room for the right side.

口Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 哎 writing sheet

Get a ready-to-use A4 sheet immediately, or open the full builder to change its grid and guidance.

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Read and listen

Example sentences

Notice where 哎 sits in each complete thought.

Āiyā - wǒ wàng le wǒ de yào.哎呀- 我忘了我的藥。

Oops - I forgot my medicine.

Source: Tatoeba #781473 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Āi yō, zhuàng dào nǐ le, duì bù qǐ!哎哟,撞到你了,对不起!

Ah, I hit you, sorry!

Source: Tatoeba #374838 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Āi yōu hǎo nán shòu a, quán shēn fā yǎng!哎呦好难受啊,全身发痒!

Grr! I'm itchy all over, and it's driving me crazy.

Source: Tatoeba #836385 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Āiyā, wǒ men hǎo xiàng wàng le tāng mǔ.哎呀,我们好像忘了汤姆。

Oops, I think we forgot Tom.

Source: Tatoeba #6682930 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Āiyā wǒ bù zhī dào lā.哎呀我不知道啦。

Oh, I don't know.

Source: Tatoeba #8686663 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Āiyā, chà diǎn shàng kè chí dào!哎呀,差点上课迟到!

Ach, I was almost late to class!

Source: Tatoeba #10024477 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 哎 in context

  1. Say āi, then recall the core meaning: interjection of surprise.
  2. Write all 8 strokes while keeping the left-right balanced.
  3. Use it in 哎呀 (āi yā), meaning “interjection of wonder, shock or admiration”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 哎 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.