Chinese word

哟

Pronunciation

Pinyinyō

Meaning

  • interjectionoh

Example

哟，你今天来得真早。yō nǐ jīn tiān lái de zhēn zǎo

Oh, you got here really early today.

Illustration for 哟 (oh)

More examples

哟，这裙子真漂亮！yō zhè qún zi zhēn piào liàng

Oh, this skirt is really pretty!

Core concept

A light spoken touch that draws attention, softens contact, or marks mild surprise.

Common phrases

  • 哟，你来了yō nǐ lái le

    Oh, you're here

Similar words

喂wèi: A short call for someone's attention, also used to answer a phone call.
嘿hēi: A relaxed spoken greeting used to call out to a friend.
嗨hāi: A casual spoken greeting borrowed from English "hi".
哦ó: A short spoken response showing that something has been noticed or understood.

Definition in Chinese

在口语中用作表示亲切、招呼或轻微惊讶的感叹词，常放在人名前后以软化语气。zài kóu yǔ zhōng yòng zuò biǎo shì qīn qiè zhāo hū huò qīng wēi jīng yà de gǎn tàn cí cháng fàng zài rén míng qián hòu yǐ ruǎn huà yǔ qì

Word origin

哟 (yō, "oh") is a colloquial written form for a spoken interjection, and its 口 (kǒu, "mouth") component points to its use as an utterance rather than an ordinary content word.

Usage tips

  • In casual speech, pitch and context shape its force: a warm tone sounds friendly, while a sharper tone can sound surprised.

Other meanings

  • ahinterjection

Word lists with this word