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嗐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嗐hàialas!zg, 13 strokes, radical 口, rank #80712, Very Hard
嗐hàiexclamation of regretunknown, 13 strokes, radical 口, rank #80712, Very Hard
hài(hai4) T4
  1. 1alas!
  2. 2exclamation of regret
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嗐hài(hai4)

嗐 (hài) is an exclamation used to express regret or disappointment, similar to saying 'alas!' in English. It often conveys a sense of lamentation or sorrow, typically in response to unfortunate news or situations. This character is used in informal contexts and can express mild emotional reactions.

Strokes13Radical口Frequency#80712DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressions of regret are common in storytelling and everyday conversations, reflecting a deep appreciation for relationships and life events, often seen in literature and poetry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sad person with a heavy sigh, saying 'hài' as they look at a broken vase. The character 嗐 has a mouth (口) indicating sound and emotion, combined with the character for 'sigh' (乞) which evokes a sense of yearning or regret.

Meanings of 嗐

hài(hai4)
1alas!
2exclamation of regret
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嗐

嗐Simplified
13Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嗐

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Podcast: 嗐

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AI Study Notes for 嗐

Usage Notes

嗐 is an informal expression and should be used in casual conversations rather than formal settings. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar expressions of surprise or frustration. It's often used in a context where someone reflects on a loss or missed opportunity.

HSK Study Tips

While 嗐 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enhance your grasp of emotional expressions in Mandarin. Focus on how it relates to other emotional exclamations, particularly those expressing regret like 唉 (āi).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嗐 with 唉 (āi), which expresses a different nuance of sighing. For example, saying '我嗐,我失去了机会' (I regret, I lost the opportunity) is incorrect; it should be '我唉,我失去了机会' to express disappointment more appropriately.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嗐

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Etymology of 嗐

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)害
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嗐

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

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

Want the full history of 嗐? 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 嗐?

Decomposition of 嗐

IDS Structure⿰口害
嗐Full Character
=
口kou3
left
害hai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嗐?

How to say alas! in Chinese

“alas!” in Chinese is嗐hài

嗐 (hài) is an exclamation used to express regret or disappointment, similar to saying 'alas!' in English. It often conveys a sense of lamentation or sorrow, typically in response to unfortunate news or situations. This character is used in informal contexts and can express mild emotional reactions.

When to use 嗐

嗐 is an informal expression and should be used in casual conversations rather than formal settings. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar expressions of surprise or frustration. It's often used in a context where someone reflects on a loss or missed opportunity.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嗐 with 唉 (āi), which expresses a different nuance of sighing. For example, saying '我嗐,我失去了机会' (I regret, I lost the opportunity) is incorrect; it should be '我唉,我失去了机会' to express disappointment more appropriately.

Write 嗐

嗐

Practice writing 嗐 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 嗐

Words Containing This Character1
嗐hàiexclamation of regret
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 嗐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嗐

Use 嗐 when you want to express disappointment or regret in a casual context, especially when reacting to unfortunate news.

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