Ai (c. 2000 BC), sixth of legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yán dì] descended from Shennong 神農
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
>神农[Shén nóng] Farmer God, also known as Li 釐
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
>厘[Lí]
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
sorrow
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
grief
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
pity
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
to grieve for
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
to pity
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
to lament
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
to condole
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
sad, mournful, pitiful; to pity; to grieve
vg, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
哀
Āi
Ai (c. 2000 BC), sixth of legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God, also known as Li 釐|厘[Li2]
unknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #16597, Hard
Āi(Ai1) T1
1Ai (c. 2000 BC), sixth of legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yán dì] descended from Shennong 神農
2>神农[Shén nóng] Farmer God, also known as Li 釐
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March 24, 2026
哀Āi(Ai1)
The character 哀 (āi) primarily means sorrow or grief. It is used in contexts related to mourning or expressing pity for someone's misfortune. This character conveys a deep emotional resonance, often associated with loss or sadness.
Strokes9Radical口Frequency#16597DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing sorrow and mourning is significant, particularly during traditional ceremonies like funerals. The character 哀 is often seen in phrases used during mourning to honor the deceased.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person crying out in sorrow, their mouth open wide (represented by the character's '口' radical) as they express their grief. The '心' (heart) in the character symbolizes the deep emotions involved. Think of 'āi' sounding like 'I' in English, as in 'I feel sorrow.'
Meanings of 哀
Āi(Ai1)
1Ai (c. 2000 BC), sixth of legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yán dì] descended from Shennong 神農
2sorrow
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 哀
哀Simplified
9Strokes
口Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#16597Frequency Rank
Podcast: 哀
Podcast: 哀
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AI Study Notes for 哀
Quick Contrast
哀 (āi) vs 悲 (bēi) — use 哀 when expressing sorrow related to mourning, while 悲 is often used for general sadness or disappointment.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person crying out in sorrow, their mouth open wide (represented by the character's '口' radical) as they express their grief. The '心' (heart) in the character symbolizes the deep emotions involved. Think of 'āi' sounding like 'I' in English, as in 'I feel sorrow.'
Usage Notes
哀 is used in both formal and informal contexts, often appearing in literary or poetic texts. Common collocations include 哀悼 (āidào - to mourn) and 哀伤 (āishāng - sadness). Students should be cautious with tone pronunciation, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Though not on the official HSK list, 哀 connects to other emotional vocabulary at the same level, such as 悲 (bēi - sorrow). Focus on understanding its use in expressions of grief and how it relates to other emotional terms.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing sorrow and mourning is significant, particularly during traditional ceremonies like funerals. The character 哀 is often seen in phrases used during mourning to honor the deceased.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 哀 with similar emotional terms like 悲 or 伤 (shāng - hurt). For example, saying '我感到哀伤' (Wǒ gǎndào āi shāng) is incorrect; it should be '我感到悲伤' (Wǒ gǎndào bēi shāng) for general sadness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 哀
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Grammar Patterns of 哀
哀 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 12 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
他们经过时，响起了令人____怜的恸哭。
As they pass by, a piteous wailing is heard.
Example Sentences for 哀 (10)
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1
他们经过时，响起了令人哀怜的恸哭。
tā mén jīng guò shí， ， xiǎng qǐ le líng rén āi lián de tòng。
Michael looked at him imploringly, eyes brimming with tears.
5
他能听见她的狗在暗处吠叫、哀嚎。
tā néng tīng jiàn tā de gǒu zài àn chǔ fèi jiào、 、 āi。
He could hear her dog barking and whining in the background.
6
这些猫的哀叫引得我的狗毛发竖立。
zhè xiē māo de āi jiào yǐn dé wǒ de gǒu máo fā shù lì。
Cats yowl. My dog's hair bristles in response.
7
我们的炮弹一发，便听到可怕的哀号声和尖叫声。
wǒ mén de páo dàn yī fā， ， biàn tīng dào kě pà de āi hào shēng hé jiān jiào。
Our artillery opened up and we heard a fearful wailing and screeching.
8
她哀求他戒掉烟酒。
tā āi qiú tā jiè diào yān jiǔ。
She beseeched him to cut his drinking and his smoking.
9
“放开我，”她哀诉道，“你弄痛我了。”
“ “ fàng kāi，” wǒ ，” tā āi，“ sù dào ，“ nǐ nòng。”
"Let me go," she whimpered. "You're hurting me."
10
在那首诗里他对乡村遭到的破坏流露出悲哀。
zài nà shǒu shī lǐ tā duì xiāng cūn zāo dào de pò huài liú lòu chū bēi āi。
In the poem he laments the destruction of the countryside.
Cultural Notes for 哀
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, expressing sorrow and mourning is significant, particularly during traditional ceremonies like funerals. The character 哀 is often seen in phrases used during mourning to honor the deceased.
Word Family of 哀
Compounds3
锿ai1einsteinium
偯
鎄
Words Containing This Character20
悲哀bēi’āigrieved
哀悼mourning
哀Āisorrow
哀伤grief哀傷
哀求āiqiúto entreat
默哀to observe a moment of silence in tribute
喜怒哀乐xǐnùāilèfour types of human emotions, namely: happiness 歡喜|欢喜[huānxǐ], anger 憤怒|愤怒[fènnù], sorrow 悲哀[bēi'āi] and joy 快樂|快乐[kuàilè]喜怒哀樂
哀怨grief
哀叹to sigh哀嘆
哀愁sorrow
哀号to cry piteously哀號
哀思mourning
致哀to mourn
哀嚎to howl in grief
哀鸣whine哀鳴
哀痛to grieve
哀乐plaint哀樂
哀婉melancholy
呜呼哀哉alas嗚呼哀哉
哀莫大于心死no greater sorrow than a heart that never rejoices哀莫大於心死
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 锿 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 哀
You can say '我对他的死感到非常哀伤' (Wǒ duì tā de sǐ gǎndào fēicháng āishāng - I feel very sad about his death).
哀 (āi) often implies a more personal or intimate sorrow, while 悲 (bēi) can be more general and may not always involve a personal connection.
Generally, 哀 conveys negative emotions and is not used in positive contexts.
