Chinese–EnglishWith examples

唉

āi · ai/ài · ai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT

āi 唉

  1. interjection or grunt of agreement or recognition (e.g. yes, it's me!)
  2. to sigh

ài 唉

  1. alas
  2. oh dear
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In a conversation

0:22 cartoon

Battery at one percent

  1. Dengdeng

    唉(ài)，我(wǒ)的(de)手机(shǒujī)又(yòu)没电(méidiàn)了(le)。

    Sigh, my phone is out of battery again.

  2. Liangliang

    唉(ài)，你(nǐ)昨晚(zuówǎn)没(méi)充电(chōngdiàn)吗(ma)？

    Sigh, didn't you charge it last night?

  3. Dengdeng

    充了(chōngle)，可是(kěshì)充电线(chōngdiànxiàn)是(shì)坏(huài)的(de)。

    I did, but the charging cable is broken.

  4. Liangliang

    唉(ài)，那(nà)用(yòng)我(wǒ)的(de)充电线(chōngdiànxiàn)吧(ba)。

    Sigh, then use my cable.

  5. Dengdeng

    谢谢(xièxie)！咦(yí)？你(nǐ)的(de)手机(shǒujī)怎么(zěnme)也(yě)只有(zhǐyǒu)百分之一(bǎifēnzhīyī)？

    Thanks! Huh? Why is your phone at one percent too?

  6. Liangliang

    唉(ài)，我们俩(wǒmenliǎ)今天(jīntiān)都(dōu)没(méi)带(dài)充电宝(chōngdiànbǎo)。

    Sigh, neither of us brought a power bank today.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

唉(āi)，这(zhè)件(jiàn)事(shì)真(zhēn)让(ràng)人(rén)头(tóu)疼(téng)。

Oh dear, this matter is really a headache.

02

唉(āi)，你(nǐ)怎(zěn)么(me)又(yòu)忘(wàng)了(le)带(dài)钥(yào)匙(shi)？

Oh dear, how did you forget your keys again?

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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