HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
呵
ā
my goodness
HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
呵
ā
to scold; to yawn; the sound of someone laughing (when repeated)
HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
呵
hē
expel breath
HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
呵
hē
my goodness
HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
呵
hē
to scold; to yawn; the sound of someone laughing (when repeated)
HSK 7, y, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #4168, Very Hard
ā(a1)
primary
T1
1expel breath
2my goodness
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March 24, 2026
呵ā(a1)
The character 呵 (ā) primarily signifies the expulsion of breath and can be used in various contexts, such as expressing surprise or scolding someone. It also serves as a variant of the character 啊 (ā) and can express exclamatory emotions like 'my goodness!' or laughter when repeated. It is often used in informal settings and adds emotional nuance to conversations.
Strokes8Radical口Frequency#4168DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the use of exclamatory sounds like 呵 can reflect emotional expressiveness and is often found in everyday conversation, making it a useful tool for sounding more natural in social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person taking a deep breath before expressing surprise, exclaiming 'Aah!' as the breath is expelled. The character 呵 resembles a mouth (口) expelling air, and the sound 'ā' mimics the breathing out, linking its pronunciation to its meaning.
Meanings of 呵
ā(a1)
primary
1expel breath
2my goodness
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 呵
呵Simplified
8Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4168Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7TOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 呵
Podcast: 呵
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AI Study Notes for 呵
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when using 呵, as it is often informal and can convey a playful tone or a scolding intent. Ensure you understand the context before using it to avoid sounding too harsh. Common collocations include phrases like 呵呵 (hēhē) to indicate laughter.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 呵 connects to other emotional or expressive characters, enhancing vocabulary related to reactions and feelings. Students should focus on the subtleties of tone and context, as well as how it contrasts with more formal expressions.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 呵 with 啊 when trying to express surprise. For example, using 呵 in a serious context can sound inappropriate, while saying '呵' instead of '啊' for a simple acknowledgment may sound overly dramatic. Always match the tone to the context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 呵
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 可 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half可 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 呵? 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 呵?
Decomposition of 呵
IDS Structure⿰口可
呵Full Character
=
口kou3
left
可ke3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 呵?
How to say expel breath in Chinese
“expel breath” in Chinese is呵ā
The character 呵 (ā) primarily signifies the expulsion of breath and can be used in various contexts, such as expressing surprise or scolding someone. It also serves as a variant of the character 啊 (ā) and can express exclamatory emotions like 'my goodness!' or laughter when repeated. It is often used in informal settings and adds emotional nuance to conversations.
When to use 呵
Be cautious with the tone when using 呵, as it is often informal and can convey a playful tone or a scolding intent. Ensure you understand the context before using it to avoid sounding too harsh. Common collocations include phrases like 呵呵 (hēhē) to indicate laughter.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 呵 with 啊 when trying to express surprise. For example, using 呵 in a serious context can sound inappropriate, while saying '呵' instead of '啊' for a simple acknowledgment may sound overly dramatic. Always match the tone to the context.
Write 呵
呵
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Practice writing 呵 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 呵
呵 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 3 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 4
Complete the Sentence
我妈妈在____护下长大，对童年有着非常美好的回忆。
My mother, who had a sheltered upbringing, has fantastic memories of childhood.
