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亞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
亞yàAsia; secondzg, 8 strokes, radical 二
yà(ya4)ya T4
  1. 1Asia; second
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March 24, 2026

亞yà(ya4)

The character 亞 (yà) primarily means 'Asia' or 'second' in a sequence. It is often used in contexts relating to geographical regions or to denote something that is secondary or subordinate in rank or quality. For instance, it appears in terms such as 亞洲 (Yàzhōu), meaning 'Asia.'

Strokes8Radical二
Cultural Note

The character 亞 is significant in the context of Asian identity and is often used in discussions about cultural and economic relations within Asia. It reflects the importance of Asia on the global stage.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic mountain range representing Asia, with the letter 'A' at the peak. The character 亞 resembles a mountain with its sharp edges, and you can think of 'yà' as standing for the 'second' tallest peak in that range.

Meanings of 亞

yà(ya4)
1Asia; second
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 亞 means.

About 亞

亞Simplified
8Strokes
二Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 亞

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Podcast: 亞

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AI Study Notes for 亞

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 亞 with similar-sounding characters like 牙 (yá, tooth) due to tonal differences. Remember that 亞 is typically used in formal contexts when discussing geography or rankings. Common collocations include 亞洲 (Yàzhōu) for 'Asia' and 亞軍 (yàjūn) for 'runner-up.'

HSK Study Tips

Though 亞 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is relevant for HSK 3 learners who are expanding their geographical and cultural vocabulary. Focus on memorizing its usage in terms related to Asia and comparisons, as this will help reinforce the concept of ranking.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 亞 in place of 二 (èr, two) when denoting the second item in a list. For example, saying 亞个 (yà ge) instead of 第二个 (dì èr ge) for 'the second one' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 亞

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Etymology of 亞

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 亞. Originally depicted a common Chinese architectural shape. Relation to current meaning unclear.

Memory Hint

A cross-shaped house or temple

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 亞?

Decomposition of 亞

IDS Structure⿻二?
亞Full Character
=
二er4
outer
Exercise 1 of 1

Parts

Which of these is part of 亞?

How to say Asia; second in Chinese

“Asia; second” in Chinese is亞yà

The character 亞 (yà) primarily means 'Asia' or 'second' in a sequence. It is often used in contexts relating to geographical regions or to denote something that is secondary or subordinate in rank or quality. For instance, it appears in terms such as 亞洲 (Yàzhōu), meaning 'Asia.'

When to use 亞

Learners often confuse 亞 with similar-sounding characters like 牙 (yá, tooth) due to tonal differences. Remember that 亞 is typically used in formal contexts when discussing geography or rankings. Common collocations include 亞洲 (Yàzhōu) for 'Asia' and 亞軍 (yàjūn) for 'runner-up.'

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 亞 in place of 二 (èr, two) when denoting the second item in a list. For example, saying 亞个 (yà ge) instead of 第二个 (dì èr ge) for 'the second one' is incorrect.

Write 亞

亞

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

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Word Family of 亞

Words Containing This Character20
亚yàsecond亞
亚洲yàzhōuAsia亞洲
澳大利亚Australia澳大利亞
亚军yàjūnrunner-up亞軍
亚当Adam亞當
亚瑟Arthur (name)亞瑟
亚运会yàyùnhuìAsian Games亞運會
马来西亚Malaysia馬來西亞
哥伦比亚Colombia哥倫比亞
维多利亚Victoria (name)維多利亞
东南亚Southeast Asia東南亞
东亚East Asia東亞
叙利亚Syria敘利亞
亚历山大Alexander (name)亞歷山大
诺基亚Nokia (company name)諾基亞
亚太Asia-Pacific亞太
加利福尼亚California加利福尼亞
亚伦Aaron (name)亞倫
圣地亚哥Santiago, capital of Chile聖地亞哥
莎士比亚Shakespeare (name)莎士比亞
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 亞

What does 亚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 亞

It is pronounced as 'yà' with a falling tone.

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