éi
interjection #21,998

Meanings

  1. 1 hey (to get attention)
  2. 2 eh / huh (surprise)
  3. 3 yes / right (agreement)
  4. 4 hmm (disapproval)

Examples

Éi, nǐ děng yīxià!
Hey, wait a moment!
Éi? Nǐ shuō shénme? Wǒ méi tīng qīngchǔ.
Huh? What did you say? I didn't hear clearly.

Tips

usage
has multiple pronunciations and meanings that vary by tone: ēi (ei1) = response/agreement, éi (ei2) = surprise/puzzlement, ěi (ei3) = mild disapproval, èi (ei4) = yes/agreement. In informal speech and texting, is interchangeable with . Context and surrounding text determine the intended reading.

Stroke Order

éi