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How to write 啊 (a, “modal particle ending sentence”)

啊, an HSK 2 character, is read a for “modal particle ending sentence”, and also ā (“interjection of surprise”) and á (“interjection expressing doubt or requiring answe”). As a left-right character it splits into 口 (“mouth”, the radical), strokes 1–3; 阿 (“prefix”), strokes 4–10, written the left part first. On its own it is an HSK 2 word, and it forms 天啊 (“good heavens!”), 啊呀 (“interjection of surprise”) and 啊哟 (“interjection of surprise or pain”). Japanese reads it a, “exclamatory particle”.

Pinyin
a, ā, á, ǎ
Strokes
10
HSK
2
Radical
口 (“mouth”)

Stroke by stroke

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  1. top leftdownwards
  2. top leftrightwards → downwards
  3. leftrightwards
  4. top leftrightwards → downwards → leftwards
  5. top leftdownwards
  6. toprightwards
  7. centerdownwards
  8. centerrightwards → downwards
  9. centerrightwards
  10. top rightdownwards → up and left

Names of the strokes

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Pinyin and meaning

PinyinMeaningsTraditionalIn words
a
neutral tone		modal particle ending sentence, showing affirmation, approval, or consent—天啊
ā
first tone		interjection of surprise; Ah!; Oh!—啊呀 啊哟
á
second tone		interjection expressing doubt or requiring answer; Eh?; what?——
ǎ
third tone		interjection of surprise or doubt; Eh?; My!; what's up?——
à
fourth tone		interjection or grunt of agreement; uhm; Ah, OK; expression of recognition; Oh, it's you!——
HSK 2025 syllabus
level 2
2021 standard
level 2
HSK 2.0
in a level 3 word
Words with it
4 in CC-CEDICT

Words with 啊

WordPinyinMeaning
啊amodal particle ending sentence, showing affirmation, approval, or… HSK 2
天啊tiānagood heavens!; oh my God!
啊呀āyāinterjection of surprise; Oh my!
啊哟 啊喲āyointerjection of surprise or pain; Oh

HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).

Practice sheet

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Keep going

HSK 2, in list order: