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吖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
吖āphonetic a, similar to 呵unknown, 6 strokes, radical 口
吖ā-azine, see 吖嗪[a1 qin2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 口
吖āused in transliterationsx, 6 strokes, radical 口
吖yāphonetic a, similar to 呵unknown, 6 strokes, radical 口
吖yā-azine, see 吖嗪[a1 qin2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 口
吖yāused in transliterationsx, 6 strokes, radical 口
yā(ya1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1phonetic a, similar to 呵
  2. 2-azine, see 吖嗪[a1 qin2]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

吖yā(ya1)

The character 吖 (yā) is primarily used as a phonetic character in transliterations, particularly to represent sounds. It is similar to the character 呵 and is often found in contexts where a sound approximation is needed, such as in names or borrowed terms from other languages.

Strokes6Radical口
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, phonetic characters like 吖 are frequently used in names, especially for foreign entities, reflecting the integration of global influences into the language.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cheerful 'Ah!' sound when you see 吖, as if someone is delightfully exclaiming upon hearing a name. The radical 吗 (which sounds like 'ma') can remind you of the questioning sound, connecting back to the phonetic nature of 吖.

Meanings of 吖

yā(ya1)
primary
1phonetic a, similar to 呵
2-azine, see 吖嗪[a1 qin2]
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 吖

吖Simplified
6Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 吖

JasonAmy

Podcast: 吖

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 吖

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 吖 with similar sounding characters, which can lead to mispronunciation. It is generally informal and used in specific contexts, mainly in transliterations. Be mindful of its usage in scientific terms like 吖嗪 (yā qín) as well.

HSK Study Tips

Though 吖 is not listed in the HSK, it is important for learners to recognize it as a phonetic character. Focus on its role in transliteration and how it connects with other phonetic characters at HSK levels, such as 呵 (hē) and 啊 (a).

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 吖 as 'a' instead of 'yā'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like 呵, leading to incorrect usage in transliterations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 吖

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Etymology of 吖

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

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

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)丫
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 吖

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

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丫 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 吖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 吖?

Decomposition of 吖

IDS Structure⿰口丫
吖Full Character
=
口kou3
left
丫ya1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 吖?

How to say phonetic a, similar to 呵 in Chinese

“phonetic a, similar to 呵” in Chinese is吖ā

The character 吖 (yā) is primarily used as a phonetic character in transliterations, particularly to represent sounds. It is similar to the character 呵 and is often found in contexts where a sound approximation is needed, such as in names or borrowed terms from other languages.

When to use 吖

Learners often confuse 吖 with similar sounding characters, which can lead to mispronunciation. It is generally informal and used in specific contexts, mainly in transliterations. Be mindful of its usage in scientific terms like 吖嗪 (yā qín) as well.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 吖 as 'a' instead of 'yā'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar characters like 呵, leading to incorrect usage in transliterations.

Write 吖

吖

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 吖

Words Containing This Character1
吖yā-azine, see 吖嗪[ā​qín]
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 吖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 吖

It is primarily a phonetic character used for transliterations, similar to the sound 'ah'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 吖?

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.