# 欸

| 欸 | U+6B38, &#27448; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6B38 |
| ← 欷 [U+6B37] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 欹 → [U+6B39] |

## Translingual
### Han character

欸 (Kangxi radical 76, 欠+7, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈大弓人 (IKNO), four-corner 2748$_2$, composition ⿰矣欠)

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 568, character 7
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 16090
* Dae Jaweon: page 956, character 19
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2140, character 11
* Unihan data for U+6B38

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

| | Old Chinese |
| 唉 | *qʰlɯː, *qɯː, *qrɯː, *qrɯːʔ |
| 埃 | *qlɯː |
| 欸 | *qɯː, *qʰrɯːs |
| 娭 | *qɯː, *qʰlɯ |
| 挨 | *qlɯːʔ, *qrɯː, *qrɯːʔ |
| 騃 | *ŋrɯːʔ, *sɢrɯʔ |
| 俟 | *sɢrɯʔ, *ɡlɯl |
| 竢 | *sɢrɯʔ |
| 涘 | *sɢrɯʔ |
| 誒 | *qʰlɯ |
| 矣 | *ɢlɯʔ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *qɯː, *qʰrɯːs): phonetic 矣 (OC *ɢlɯʔ) + semantic 欠 (“breath”).

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): āi (ai$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄞ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): oi$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: āi
*** Zhuyin: ㄞ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ai
*** Wade–Giles: ai$^1$
*** Yale: āi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ai
*** Palladius: ай (aj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀaɪ̯⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: oi$^1$
*** Yale: ōi
*** Cantonese Pinyin: oi$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: oi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɔːi̯⁵⁵/
* Middle Chinese: 'oj, 'ojX
Rime :
| Character | 欸 | 欸 |
| Reading # | 1/3 | 2/3 |
| Initial (聲) | 影 (34) | 影 (34) |
| Final (韻) | 咍 (41) | 咍 (41) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | I |
| Fanqie | 烏開切 | 於改切 |
| Baxter | 'oj | 'ojX |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ʔʌi/ | /ʔʌi$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʔəi/ | /ʔəi$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ʔɒi/ | /ʔɒi$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʔəj/ | /ʔəj$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /ʔᴀi/ | /ʔᴀi$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɒi/ | /ɒi$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʔɑ̆i/ | /ʔɑ̆i$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | āi | ǎi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | oi$^1$ | oi$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Zhengzhang): /*qɯː/
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 欸 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 14935 |
| Phonetic component | 矣 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 哀 |
| Old Chinese | /*qɯː/ |

#### Definitions

欸
* (historical dictionaries only) to scold loudly
* Alternative form of 唉 (“interjection of agreement or sigh”)

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ǎi (ai$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄞˇ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): aai$^2$ / ai$^2$ / oi$^2$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ǎi
*** Zhuyin: ㄞˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ǎi
*** Wade–Giles: ai$^3$
*** Yale: ǎi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ae
*** Palladius: ай (aj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀaɪ̯²¹⁴/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: aai$^2$ / ai$^2$ / oi$^2$
*** Yale: áai / ái / ói
*** Cantonese Pinyin: aai$^2$ / ai$^2$ / oi$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ai$^2$ / ei$^2$ / oi$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /aːi̯³⁵/, /ɐi̯³⁵/, /ɔːi̯³⁵/

#### Definitions

欸
* Only used in 欸乃 (ǎinǎi, “an onomatopoeia”).

#### Compounds

* 欸乃
* 欸乃曲

### Pronunciation 3

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ê̄, ēi (ê$^1$, ei$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄝ, ㄟ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ê̄
*** Zhuyin: ㄝ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ê
*** Wade–Giles: eh$^1$
*** Yale: ē
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: è
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀɛ⁵⁵/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ēi
*** Zhuyin: ㄟ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ei
*** Wade–Giles: ei$^1$
*** Yale: ēi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ei
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀeɪ̯⁵⁵/

#### Definitions

欸
* An interjection calling attention.
       Ê̄, wǒ gàosu nǐ yī gè mìmì. [Pinyin]
       Hey, let me tell you a secret.

### Pronunciation 4

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ế, éi (ê$^2$, ei$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄝˊ, ㄟˊ
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): --eh
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ế
*** Zhuyin: ㄝˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ế
*** Wade–Giles: eh$^2$
*** Yale: é
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èr
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀɛ³⁵/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: éi
*** Zhuyin: ㄟˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: éi
*** Wade–Giles: ei$^2$
*** Yale: éi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: eir
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀeɪ̯³⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --eh
*** Tâi-lô: --eh

#### Definitions

欸
* An interjection expressing surprise.
       Ế, tā zěnme zǒu le! [Pinyin]
       Why, he's gone!

### Pronunciation 5

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ê̌, ěi (ê$^3$, ei$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄝˇ, ㄟˇ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ê̌
*** Zhuyin: ㄝˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ê̌
*** Wade–Giles: eh$^3$
*** Yale: ě
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èè
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀɛ²¹⁴/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ěi
*** Zhuyin: ㄟˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ěi
*** Wade–Giles: ei$^3$
*** Yale: ěi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: eei
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀeɪ̯²¹⁴/

#### Definitions

欸
* An interjection expressing disapproval.
       Ê̌, huà kě bùnéng zhème shuō! [Pinyin]
       Huh, you can't say that!

### Pronunciation 6

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ề, èi (ê$^4$, ei$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄝˋ, ㄟˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): ei$^6$ / e$^6$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ề
*** Zhuyin: ㄝˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ề
*** Wade–Giles: eh$^4$
*** Yale: è
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: èh
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀɛ⁵¹/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: èi
*** Zhuyin: ㄟˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: èi
*** Wade–Giles: ei$^4$
*** Yale: èi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ey
*** Palladius: эй (ej)
*** Sinological IPA : /ˀeɪ̯⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ei$^6$ / e$^6$
*** Yale: eih / eh
*** Cantonese Pinyin: ei$^6$ / e$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: éi$^6$ / é$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /ei̯²²/, /ɛː²²/

#### Definitions

欸
* An interjection expressing agreement or promise.
       Ề, wǒ míngtiān zhǔnshí lái! [Pinyin]
       All right, I'll arrive on time tomorrow!

### Pronunciation 7

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): xiè (xie$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄝˋ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xiè
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄝˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: siè
*** Wade–Giles: hsieh$^4$
*** Yale: syè
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shieh
*** Palladius: се (se)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/
* Middle Chinese: xeajH
Rime :
| Character | 欸 |
| Reading # | 3/3 |
| Initial (聲) | 曉 (32) |
| Final (韻) | 皆 (33) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | II |
| Fanqie | 許介切 |
| Baxter | xeajH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /hˠɛi$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /hᵚæi$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /xɐi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /həɨj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /xɛi$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /xɐi$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /xăi$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | xiè |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | haai$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Zhengzhang): /*qʰrɯːs/
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 欸 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 14943 |
| Phonetic component | 矣 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 譮 |
| Old Chinese | /*qʰrɯːs/ |
| Notes | 怒聲同譮 |

#### Definitions

欸
* (historical dictionaries only) Alternative form of 譮 (xiè, “angry sound”)

### Pronunciation 8

* Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): ê$^2$
* Hakka
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: ê$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /e¹¹/

#### Definitions

欸
* (Hakka) Alternative form of 了

### References

* “欸”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
* “欸”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### Readings

* On (unclassified): あい (ai)、かい (kai)
* Kun: なげく (nageku)

## Korean
### Hanja

欸 (eum 애 (ae))
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

欸: Hán Nôm readings: ái
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### References

* Nom Foundation