啊

啊 U+554A, 啊 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-554A ← 啉 [U+5549] CJK Unified Ideographs 啋 → [U+554B]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

啊 (Kangxi radical 30, 口くち+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 口くち弓ゆみ中口なかぐち (RNLR), four-corner 6102₀, composition ⿰口くち阿おもね)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 195, character 4
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3808
• Dae Jaweon: page 416, character 5
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 634, character 18
• Unihan data for U+554A

Chinese

simp. and trad.		啊

Glyph origin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲けいせい／形声けいせい) : semantic 口くち (“mouth”) + phonetic 阿おもね (OC *qaːl).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ā (a¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄚ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): aa¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): a / ah / --a / --ah

  (Teochew, Peng'im): a⁷

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁰a

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ā
    • Zhuyin: ㄚ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: a
    • Wade–Giles: a¹
    • Yale: ā
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: a
    • Palladius: а (a)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀä⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: aa¹
    • Yale: ā
    • Cantonese Pinyin: aa¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: a¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /aː⁵⁵/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: a
    • Tâi-lô: a
    • Phofsit Daibuun: af
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /a⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Philippines): /a³³/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ah
    • Tâi-lô: ah
    • Phofsit Daibuun: aq
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /aʔ³²/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --a
    • Tâi-lô: --a
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --ah
    • Tâi-lô: --ah
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: a⁷
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ā
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /a¹¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁰a
    • MiniDict: a
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁰a
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /a/

Definitions

啊

1. Used by itself to express surprise. ah, oh, ha

   啊！我わが又また贏了りょう！ [MSC, trad.]
   啊！我わが又また赢了りょう！ [MSC, simp.]

   Ā! Wǒ yòu yíng le! [Pinyin]

   Ha! I've won again!

2. Used to express affirmation or exhortation.

   好このみ孩子，乖，聽話，啊！別べつ哭了りょう，啊！ [MSC, trad.]
   好このみ孩子，乖，听话，啊！别哭了りょう，啊！ [MSC, simp.]

   Hǎo háizi, guāi, tīnghuà, ā! Bié kū le, ā! [Pinyin]

   Good boy, be good, be obedient okay?! Don't cry okay?!

   我わが食しょく飽咯啊 [Philippine Hokkien, trad.]
   我わが食しょく饱咯啊 [Philippine Hokkien, simp.]

   Góa chia̍h-pá--lo͘--a [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   I've eaten already, OK. / I'm full now, alright.

   • 你多おお乖呀，你是これ媽媽最さい乖的てき孩子了りょう，啊！ [MSC, trad.]
     你多おお乖呀，你是これ妈妈最さい乖的てき孩子了りょう，啊！ [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2004, 《家いえ有ゆう儿女》, episode 13

     Nǐ duó guāi ya, nǐ shì māma zuì guāi de háizi le, ā! [Pinyin]

     You're so good, you're your mother's most obedient child, huh?!

   • 哎，你什麼いんも時候じこう抽空そら兒じ給きゅう我わが們佳けい佳けい複ふく習複ふく習功こう課か，讓ゆずる她提ひさげ高だか提ひさげ高だか學習がくしゅう水平すいへい啊！ [MSC, trad.]
     哎，你什么时候抽空そら儿给我わが们佳けい佳けい复习复习功こう课，让她提ひさげ高だか提ひさげ高だか学がく习水平すいへい啊！ [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2004, 《家いえ有ゆう儿女》, episode 15

     Āi, nǐ shénme shíhou chōu kòngr gěi wǒmen Jiājia fùxí fùxí gōngkè, ràng tā tígāo tígāo xuéxí shuǐpíng ā! [Pinyin]

     Hey, when you take the time to give our Jiajia review homework, let her improve her studies, eh?!

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): á (a²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄚˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): aa²
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁰a

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: á
    • Zhuyin: ㄚˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: á
    • Wade–Giles: a²
    • Yale: á
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ar
    • Palladius: а (a)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀä³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: aa²
    • Yale: á
    • Cantonese Pinyin: aa²
    • Guangdong Romanization: a²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /aː³⁵/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁰a
    • MiniDict: a
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁰a
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /a/

Definitions

啊

1. Used to indicate doubt or questioning. what?, huh?, eh

   啊？你說せつ什麼いんも？ [MSC, trad.]
   啊？你说什么？ [MSC, simp.]

   Á? Nǐ shuō shénme? [Pinyin]

   Huh? What did you say?

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ǎ (a³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄚˇ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ǎ
    • Zhuyin: ㄚˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ǎ
    • Wade–Giles: a³
    • Yale: ǎ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: aa
    • Palladius: а (a)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀä²¹⁴/

Definitions

啊

1. Used to indicate puzzled surprise. what? oh? huh?

   啊！真しん有ゆう這事こと兒じ？ [MSC, trad.]
   啊！真しん有ゆう这事こと儿？ [MSC, simp.]

   Ǎ! Zhēn yǒu zhè shìr? [Pinyin]

   What? Is that really so?

Pronunciation 4

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): à (a⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄚˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): aa⁶
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁰a; ⁰gha

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: à
    • Zhuyin: ㄚˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: à
    • Wade–Giles: a⁴
    • Yale: à
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ah
    • Palladius: а (a)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀä⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: aa⁶
    • Yale: ah
    • Cantonese Pinyin: aa⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: a⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /aː²²/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁰a; ⁰gha
    • MiniDict: a; gha
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁰a; ⁰hha
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /a/, /ɦa/

Definitions

啊

1. Used to indicate agreement/approval. ah

   啊，好このみ吧。  ―  À, hǎo ba.  ―  Well, OK.

Pronunciation 5

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): a (a⁵／a⁰)

  (Zhuyin): ˙ㄚ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): aa³
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁰a; ⁰gha

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: a
    • Zhuyin: ˙ㄚ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: å
    • Wade–Giles: a⁵
    • Yale: a
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .a
    • Palladius: а (a)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀä/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: aa³
    • Yale: a
    • Cantonese Pinyin: aa³
    • Guangdong Romanization: a³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /aː³³/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁰a; ⁰gha
    • MiniDict: a; gha
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁰a; ⁰hha
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /a/, /ɦa/

Definitions

啊

1. Sentence-final particle expressing surprise.

   你不ふ來き啊？／你不ふ来き啊？  ―  Nǐ bù lái a?  ―  So you're not coming?

2. Sentence-final particle expressing exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm.

   多おお好このみ的てき天てん兒じ啊！／多おお好このみ的てき天てん儿啊！  ―  Duō hǎo de tiānr a!  ―  What a fine day!

   謝しゃ謝しゃ啊／谢谢啊  ―  xièxiè a  ―  Thanks.

3. Sentence-final particle softening the request.

   老ろう王おう啊，這可か不ふ行くだり啊！ [MSC, trad.]
   老ろう王おう啊，这可か不ふ行くだり啊！ [MSC, simp.]

   Lǎo Wáng a, zhè kě bùxíng a! [Pinyin]

   Wang, this won't do!

4. Used in enumerations, for confirmation (often untranslated).

   錢ぜに啊，書しょ啊，表ひょう啊，我わが都と丟了りょう。 [MSC, trad.]
   钱啊，书啊，表ひょう啊，我わが都と丢了りょう。 [MSC, simp.]

   Qián a, shū a, biǎo a, wǒ dōu diū le. [Pinyin]

   Money, books, watch, I lost everything.

5. on and on, continuously

Usage notes

In Standard Mandarin, this toneless particle is found in complementary distribution with several other particles, governed by the nature of the preceding syllable. However, this distinction is not strictly reflected in writing, and 啊 tends to an all-encompassing particle. Thus it may carry the pronunciation of any of its variants below in actual speech:

• -ng, ci, zi, si, chi, zhi, shi + [a] → 啊 (a)
• -a, -o, -e, -i, -ü + [a] → 呀 (ya)
• -u, -ao + [a] → 哇 (wa)
• -n + [a] → 哪 (na)

Synonyms

• (Cantonese) 呀

Compounds

• 啊呀 (āyā)
• 啊哈 (āhā)
• 啊唷 (āyō)
• 啊喲／啊哟 (āyō)
• 嗯啊
• (Hokkien) 揀啊揀，揀著一いち個こ賣うり龍眼りゅうがん／揀啊揀，揀著一いち个賣龍眼りゅうがん／拣啊拣，拣着一いち个卖龙眼 (kéng--ah kéng, kéng-tio̍h chi̍t ê bē lêng-géng) (Min Nan)

 

Descendants

• → English: ah (Singapore, Malaysia)

References

• “Entry #7043”, in 教育きょういく部ぶ臺灣たいわん台たい語ご常用じょうよう詞し辭典じてん [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Kanji

啊

(Hyōgai kanji)

1. Exclamatory particle

Readings

• Go-on: あ (a)
• Kan-on: あ (a)
• Kun: こえ (koe, 啊)^{←こゑ (kowe, 啊, historical)}

Korean

Hanja

啊 • (a) (hangeul 아, revised a, McCune–Reischauer a)

1. love

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• 啞 (ạ)
• 亞あ (a)

Han character

啊: Hán Việt readings: a
啊: Nôm readings: a, à, ơ, ạ

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Interjection

啊

1. Nôm form of a (“Used in the beginning of a sentence to indicate questioning: ah, oh, ha”).

   啊困こま碎！ ― A khốn tôi ! ― Ha! I'm so unlucky!