How to Write 哟 (yō) — Meaning “Oh / Hey”

Imagine someone saying 'Yo!' with a big mouth (口) to get your attention. The right part 约 looks like a rope tied in a loop, so picture a rope shaped like a mouth saying 'Yo!' to help you recall the sound and meaning.

Start with the left radical 口 (three strokes: vertical, horizontal bend, horizontal). Then write the right side 约: first the top part 纟 (three strokes: vertical, horizontal, vertical), then 勺 (two strokes: a short slant and a hook). Common mistake: making the 口 too large or forgetting the hook on 勺. Keep the left side compact and the right side balanced.

哟 uses 口 + 约 and means an exclamation ('Oh! Hey!'), never used as a noun. 君 (jūn) means 'ruler' or 'you' (polite) and has 口 + 尹. 吝 (lìn) means 'stingy' and has 口 + 文. Visually, 哟 has a complex right side with 纟 and 勺, while 君 and 吝 have simpler right parts.

哟 is used as an interjection to express surprise, excitement, or to call someone's attention, like 'Hey!' or 'Oh!'. It often appears in informal speech, and in the phrase 哎哟 (āi yō) it means 'Ouch!' or can show mild frustration. It is not used in formal writing, only in casual conversation or online chats.

Common words containing 哟 include: 哎哟 (āi yō) — ouch; oh; 哟 (yō) — Oh / Hey; 走哟 (zǒu yō) — Let's go!.