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嘞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘞leifinal particle used to indicate polite refusaly, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #16175, Very Hard
嘞leisentence-final particle similar to 了[le5], but carrying a tone of approvalunknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #16175, Very Hard
lei(lei5) T5
  1. 1final particle used to indicate polite refusal
  2. 2sentence-final particle similar to 了[le5], but carrying a tone of approval
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March 24, 2026

嘞lei(lei5)

嘞 (lei) is a sentence-final particle used in Mandarin to indicate a polite refusal or to soften a statement. It carries a tone of approval and is often used in casual conversations, adding emphasis or a friendly nuance to the speaker's intent.

Strokes14Radical口Frequency#16175DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

Using 嘞 in conversations reflects the Chinese emphasis on politeness and maintaining harmony in social interactions. Its usage can indicate respect for the listener's feelings, aligning with the cultural value of 'saving face'.

Memory tip

Think of 嘞 (lei) as a friendly wave goodbye, with the 'l' sounding like the lift of your hand and 'ei' as the wave itself. The character has a mouth radical (口), suggesting communication, which connects to its use in softening refusals.

Meanings of 嘞

lei(lei5)
1final particle used to indicate polite refusal
2sentence-final particle similar to 了[le5], but carrying a tone of approval
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 嘞

嘞Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
语气词yǔqìcímodal particle (mod.part.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 嘞

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AI study notes for 嘞

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 嘞 with 了 (le) due to their similar sounds and uses. Remember that 嘞 is more informal and conveys a polite refusal, while 了 indicates completion. It's commonly used in everyday conversations and should be avoided in formal writing.

HSK Study Tips

Although 嘞 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance conversational skills. Focus on how it contrasts with other particles like 了 (le) and 吗 (ma) to grasp the subtleties of Mandarin sentence endings.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 嘞 in formal writing or contexts where politeness is less important, leading to awkward situations. For example, saying '我不去嘞' in a formal meeting would be inappropriate; instead, use '我不去'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘞

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Etymology of 嘞

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

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

Memory hint

mouth

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

Origin

嘞 = 口 + 勒. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 嘞

IDS Structure⿰口勒
嘞Full character
=
口kou3
left
勒le4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 嘞?

How to say final particle used to indicate polite refusal in Chinese

“final particle used to indicate polite refusal” in Chinese is嘞lei

嘞 (lei) is a sentence-final particle used in Mandarin to indicate a polite refusal or to soften a statement. It carries a tone of approval and is often used in casual conversations, adding emphasis or a friendly nuance to the speaker's intent.

When to use 嘞

Learners often confuse 嘞 with 了 (le) due to their similar sounds and uses. Remember that 嘞 is more informal and conveys a polite refusal, while 了 indicates completion. It's commonly used in everyday conversations and should be avoided in formal writing.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 嘞 in formal writing or contexts where politeness is less important, leading to awkward situations. For example, saying '我不去嘞' in a formal meeting would be inappropriate; instead, use '我不去'.

Write 嘞

嘞

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

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Word Family of 嘞

Words containing this character1
嘞leisentence-final particle similar to 了[le], but carrying a tone of approval

Frequently asked questions about 嘞

No, 嘞 is primarily used in informal settings among friends or family. In formal contexts, it's better to avoid it.

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