はい

See also: ばい

Japanese

Etymology 1

Ultimate derivation currently unknown, with various resources listing no etymology. Theories include:

• Perhaps related to interjection は (ha, “yes”), which first appears in the early 1600s.
• Alternatively, may derive from Cantonese 係 / 系 (hai⁶), or perhaps from Sino-Japanese 拝 (hai), but this theory is not academically accepted. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

First cited as a general shout in the early 1600s (compare English hey), with the affirmative yes sense first cited to 1774.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) はい [háꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ha̠i]

Interjection

はい • (hai) 

1. [from 1774] yes; okay; understood, got it; here, present; right, so (agreement); uh-huh (acknowledgement that one is listening)

   はい、承(しょう)知(ち)しました。

   Hai, shōchi shimashita.

   Yes, understood.

   「もしもし、木(き)村(むら)さんですか？」「はい、木(き)村(むら)です。」

   “Moshimoshi, Kimura-san desu ka?”“Hai, Kimura desu.”

   "Hello, is this Mr./Ms. Kimura?" "Yes, Kimura speaking."

   はい、何(なん)でしょうか。

   Hai, nan deshō ka.

   Yes? What is it?

   はい。はい。はい。なるほど、なるほど。

   Hai. Hai. Hai. Naruhodo, naruhodo.

   Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yes. Mmm, I see.

2. [from 1774] no (in response to negative questions); agree

   今日(きょう)は雨(あめ)だから、ピクニックには行(い)けませんね？はい、行(い)けません。

   Kyō wa ame da kara, pikunikku ni wa ikemasen ne? Hai, ikemasen.

   It's raining today so we can't go on a picnic? No, we can't go.

3. [date uncertain] sorry? (What did you say?)

   はい？何(なん)ですって？

   Hai? Nan desu tte?

   I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?

4. [from 1603] general shout or call, compare English hey: go, start; stop, time's up (expressing a timing)

   1(いち)、2(に)、3(さん)、はい！

   Ichi, ni, san, hai!

   1, 2, 3, go!

   はい、そこまで。

   Hai, soko made.

   OK, let's stop here.

   はいおわりー。

   Hai owarī.

   Hey, we're done.

5. [from early 1800s] (sentence-final) used to express mild uncertainty

   そうだと思(おも)います、はい。

   Sō da to omoimasu, hai.

   I believe so, yes.

Usage notes

Used in a variety of contexts, including:

• “present” – when calling attendance
• “go ahead” – when a car or truck is backing up; often said deeply with extended ‘a’ sound as in はあ〜い (hāāi)
• “yes, I understand what you are saying (but don’t necessarily agree)”

Synonyms

• (informal) ああ (ā), うん (un)
• (informal but still polite) ええ (ē)
• (archaic) しかり (shikari), 応(おう) (ō)

Antonyms

• いいえ (īe, “no”)
• (informal) ううん (ūn, “uh-uh”)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of はい – see the following entries.

【敗】4 [counter] losses

【灰】6 [noun] ash

【肺】6 [noun] (anatomy) lung

【杯】S [counter] cupfuls [counter] squids (as food) [suffix] (games) cup (contest) Alternative spelling 盃

【佩】H [counter] swords [noun] ancient ornamental belt

【胚】H [noun] embryo

(This term, はい (hai), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.) For a list of all kanji read as はい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as はい.)

(The following entries are uncreated: 珮, 拝.)

Okinawan

Interjection

はい (hai) 

1. (gender-neutral) hello

   Synonyms: (men's speech) はいさい (haisai), (women's speech) はいたい (haitai)