呜呼哀哉

Traditional form:

嗚呼哀哉

Pinyin (reading):

wūhū'āizāi

Definitions:

• alas
• all is lost

Characters:

• 呜 - the sound of someone crying or sobbing
• 呼 - to breathe, to exhale, to sigh; to call, to shout
• 哀 - sad, mournful, pitiful; to pity; to grieve
• 哉 - final exclamatory particle

Traditional characters:

• 嗚 - the sound of someone crying or sobbing
• 呼 - to breathe, to exhale, to sigh; to call, to shout
• 哀 - sad, mournful, pitiful; to pity; to grieve
• 哉 - final exclamatory particle