Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
唷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
唷yōfinal particlex, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yō(interjection expressing surprise) Oh!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yōfinal particle expressing exhortation, admiration etcunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yōMy!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yofinal particlex, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yo(interjection expressing surprise) Oh!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yofinal particle expressing exhortation, admiration etcunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yoMy!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yōfinal particlex, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yō(interjection expressing surprise) Oh!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yōfinal particle expressing exhortation, admiration etcunknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
唷yōMy!unknown, 11 strokes, radical 口
yō(y5o1)
primary
T1
  1. 1final particle
  2. 2(interjection expressing surprise) Oh!
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

唷yō(y5o1)

The character 唷 (yō) is a final particle often used in informal spoken Chinese to convey surprise, admiration, or to emphasize a statement. It can also express a sense of urging or exhortation, similar to saying 'come on!' or 'oh!' in English. This particle adds emotional weight to the sentence, making it more expressive.

Strokes11Radical口
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, using particles like 唷 (yō) adds warmth and expressiveness to conversations, reflecting the importance of emotional connection in interpersonal communication. This usage is common among friends and family.

Memory tip

Imagine a surprised cat saying 'yo!' when it sees something unexpected. The character 唷 (yō) has a rounded top, resembling the surprised eyes of the cat, which helps you remember its meaning of surprise and admiration.

Meanings of 唷

yō(y5o1)
primary
1final particle
2(interjection expressing surprise) Oh!
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 唷 means.

About 唷

唷Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 唷

JasonAmy

Podcast: 唷

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 唷

Usage Notes

唷 (yō) is typically used in casual conversations and should be avoided in formal writing or speech. Learners often confuse it with other similar particles like 哦 (ó), which expresses a realization rather than surprise. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Though not part of the official HSK vocabulary, 唷 (yō) is useful for conversational fluency at the beginner to intermediate levels. Students should focus on listening to native speakers use this particle in context to understand its emotional nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 唷 (yō) in formal contexts or confuse it with similar particles. For example, saying '我喜欢这个唷' in a formal setting is incorrect; it should be reserved for casual conversations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 唷

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 唷, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 唷 to you

Let me explain 唷 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 唷 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 唷?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 唷 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 唷

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 育 represents the sound.

Memory hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)育
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

唷 = 口 + 育. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 唷

IDS Structure⿰口育
唷Full character
=
口kou3
left
育yu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 唷?

How to say final particle in Chinese

“final particle” in Chinese is唷yō

The character 唷 (yō) is a final particle often used in informal spoken Chinese to convey surprise, admiration, or to emphasize a statement. It can also express a sense of urging or exhortation, similar to saying 'come on!' or 'oh!' in English. This particle adds emotional weight to the sentence, making it more expressive.

When to use 唷

唷 (yō) is typically used in casual conversations and should be avoided in formal writing or speech. Learners often confuse it with other similar particles like 哦 (ó), which expresses a realization rather than surprise. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 唷 (yō) in formal contexts or confuse it with similar particles. For example, saying '我喜欢这个唷' in a formal setting is incorrect; it should be reserved for casual conversations.

Write 唷

唷

Practice writing 唷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 唷

唷 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

哎____!好痛!

Eina! That was sore!

Example sentences for 唷 (7)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
哎唷!好痛!

āi yō! hǎo tòng!

Eina! That was sore!
2
唷! 多热的天哪!

yō! duō rè de tiān nǎ!

Whew! What a sizzler!
3
哎唷!我的腿抽筋了。

āi yō! wǒ de tuǐ chōu jīn le。

Ow! I just got a charley horse in my leg.
4
哎唷! 你差点儿把它掉落到地板上.

āi yō! nǐ chàdiǎnr bǎ tā diào là dào dìbǎn shàng.

Whoops. You nearly dropped it on the floor.
5
哎 唷, 我累坏了.我们休息一下 吧.

āi yō, wǒ lèi huài le. wǒmen xiūxi yíxià ba.

" Well , I am bushed. Let's have a rest. "
6
哦唷,我忘了写那封信了。

é yō, wǒ wàng le xiě nà fēng xìn le。

Uh-oh. I forgot to write that letter.
7
以上的米粉和贡丸都是新竹的两大名产唷!

yǐshàng de mǐ fěn hé gòng wán dōushì xīn zhú de liǎng dà míng chǎn yō!

Rice noodles and meatballs are the most well - known dishes in Hsinchu.
Exercise 1 of 1

Rebuild it

Rebuild it: “Eina! That was sore!”

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Ask Jason

Have a question about 唷?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Word Family of 唷

Words containing this character1
唷yōMy!

Frequently asked questions about 唷

Use 唷 (yō) in informal situations to express surprise or admiration.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 唷?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab