TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
哎
哎 ＝ 口 ＋ 艾
ㄞ · āi
interj — oh!, hey! — surprise, pain, or mild dismay
字源 FORM — what the parts do
艾聲ài — gives the sound, lightened to āithe mugwort plant
Tài → āi — the donor's falling fourth tone flattens to a level first
A mouth (口) opens and a cry escapes. 艾 ài lends the sound, lifted to āi. The whole char is that sound caught on the way out: 哎呀, the startled yelp.
意 · Meanings
(本義)哎、哎呀— oh!, hey! — surprise or dismay常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension