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哇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
哇
wā
Wow!
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wā
sound of child's crying
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wā
sound of vomiting
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wā
replaces 啊[a] when following the vowel "u" or "ao"
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wā
to vomit; an infant's cry
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wā
replaces 啊[a5] when following the vowel "u" or "ao"
HSK 6, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
Wow!
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
sound of child's crying
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
sound of vomiting
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
replaces 啊[a] when following the vowel "u" or "ao"
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
to vomit; an infant's cry
HSK 6, y, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
哇
wa
replaces 啊[a5] when following the vowel "u" or "ao"
HSK 6, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #361, Hard
wā(wa1)wa
primary
T1
1Wow!
2sound of child's crying
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
哇wā(wa1)
The character 哇 (wā) is an exclamation often used to express surprise or admiration, akin to saying 'Wow!' in English. It can also represent the sound of a child's cry or vomiting, showcasing its versatility in conveying strong emotions or reactions.
Strokes9Radical口Frequency#361DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, expressions of surprise or admiration are often more exaggerated, and 哇 reflects this cultural tendency to vocalize feelings openly, especially among family or friends.
Memory tip
Imagine a baby suddenly crying 'Waaah!' when they see something surprising. The character 哇 has a 'mouth' radical (口) inside it, symbolizing the act of vocalizing this astonishment or distress.
Meanings of 哇
wā(wa1)
primary
1Wow!
2sound of child's crying
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 哇 means.
About 哇
哇Simplified
9Strokes
口Radical
语气词yǔqìcímodal particle (mod.part.)Part of Speech
#361Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 哇
Podcast: 哇
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AI study notes for 哇
Usage Notes
哇 is typically informal and used in casual conversations. Be cautious about its tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone). Common phrases include 哇塞 (wā sāi), which intensifies the emotion, similar to 'Wow!' or 'Oh my gosh!'
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 哇 connects with other expressive or emotional words at this level. Students should focus on its context of use in conversations, especially in informal settings, to enhance their fluency.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 哇 with 啊 (a) due to their similar uses, leading to sentences like '哇，我要去！' instead of the correct '啊，我要去！' when expressing a simple statement. Remember, 哇 is for surprise!
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 哇
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Example
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Knowing 哇 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
哇 = 口 + 圭. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 哇
IDS Structure⿰口圭
哇Full character
=
口kou3
left
圭gui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 哇?
How to say Wow! in Chinese
“Wow!” in Chinese is哇wā
The character 哇 (wā) is an exclamation often used to express surprise or admiration, akin to saying 'Wow!' in English. It can also represent the sound of a child's cry or vomiting, showcasing its versatility in conveying strong emotions or reactions.
When to use 哇
哇 is typically informal and used in casual conversations. Be cautious about its tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone). Common phrases include 哇塞 (wā sāi), which intensifies the emotion, similar to 'Wow!' or 'Oh my gosh!'
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 哇 with 啊 (a) due to their similar uses, leading to sentences like '哇，我要去！' instead of the correct '啊，我要去！' when expressing a simple statement. Remember, 哇 is for surprise!
Write 哇
哇
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Practice writing 哇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 哇
哇 functions as a grammatical particle — it carries no standalone meaning but signals a grammatical relationship. Particles attach to specific positions in the sentence (clause-final 吗/吧/呢, post-verbal 了/过/着, post-noun 的) and rarely move. It carries 6 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.
Wow, when the performance ended, the whole audience stood up and applauded, it was so impressive!
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Cultural Notes for 哇
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
Western cultures may use exclamations similarly, but 哇 often conveys a more communal emotional response in Chinese society, particularly in familial contexts.
Word Family of 哇
Words containing this character5
哇wāWow!
哇哇wāwāsound of crying
爪哇zhǎowāJava (island of Indonesia)
哇塞wāsāi(slang) wow!
爪哇岛zhǎowādǎoJava (island of Indonesia)爪哇島
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 哇
What does 哇哇 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 哇
Use 哇 when you want to express surprise or admiration in a casual context, especially when reacting to something impressive or shocking.
No, 哇 is primarily used in spoken language or informal writing, such as social media posts.
While it primarily conveys surprise or admiration, in context, it can also express dismay or shock, depending on tone and situation.
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