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啊

Mandarin · pinyin ā#

interjection of surprise
Ah!
Oh!

Mandarin · pinyin á#

interjection expressing doubt or requiring answer
Eh?
what?

Mandarin · pinyin ǎ#

interjection of surprise or doubt
Eh?
My!
what's up?

Mandarin · pinyin à#

interjection or grunt of agreement
uhm
Ah, OK
expression of recognition
Oh, it's you!

Mandarin · pinyin a#

modal particle ending sentence, showing affirmation, approval, or consent

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Characters in this entry

啊: a · exclamatory particle

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1 · a1

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

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1character link8same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 14 senses · 4 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

a3 · aa2 · aa3 · o3

Cantonese word readings for 啊. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

Used as an initial interjection particle to express surprise. ah, oh, ha
(Taiwanese Hokkien) Used as an initial interjection particle to raise a topic or change the mood. ah, oh, huh

character · Etymology 2

Used as a final particle to indicate, focus on, or exclaim a topic, subject, declaration, and acts as a filler pause especially when enumerating or changing topic.
Used as a final particle to express exhortation.
Used as a final particle to seek for listener's confirmation.

character · Etymology 3

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

character · Etymology 4

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

character · Etymology 5

Used to indicate agreement/approval. ah

character · Etymology 6

Sentence-final particle expressing surprise.
Sentence-final particle expressing exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm.
Sentence-final particle softening the request.
Used in enumerations, for confirmation (often untranslated).
on and on, continuously

character · Etymology 7

(Hakka) Used between a verb and a complement to indicate that something has happened within a short time and/or is immediately followed by another event.

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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