Question: why does oy vey mean?
Answer: Oy vey (Yiddish: אױ װײ‎) or oy vey iz mir is a Yiddish phrase expressing dismay or exasperation. Also spelled oy vay, oy veh, or oi vey, and often abbreviated to oy, the expression may be translated as, "oh, woe!" or "woe is me!" Its Hebrew equivalent is oy vavoy (אוי ואבוי, ój vavój).