Dictionary

aiyo en · INTJ

Pronunciation

• [ˌaɪ(˦)˨ ˈjoʊ(˨˦˧)] (Singapore)
• /aɪˈjoʊ/
• /aɪˈjoʊ/ (Singapore)

Etymology

Mainly borrowed from Tamil ஐயோ (aiyō) and Sinhalese අයියෝ (ayiyō). Common in Dravidian languages; compare Telugu అయ్యో (ayyō), Kannada ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō), Malayalam അയ്യോ (ayyō), Tulu ಅಯ್ಯೋ (ayyō), Kurux अयो (ayo). Alternatively from Chinese 哎喲 /哎哟 (āiyō) in Malaysia and Singapore.

Meanings

1. (China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South, Sri-Lanka, informal) Expressing distress, regret, or fear.
   • 'Are you crying for your father?' 'Aiyo, aiyo!' wailed the girl. 'I shall never see him again!' 1886, Chamber's Journal. 20 Mar. 184/1:
   • 'Aiyo its our Kalu' they all cried. 1971, Fashion Panaroma (Ceylon) Apr. 31:
   • Aiyow! I don't know how I got the compulsion to say all that. But I really did. 1985, Pao Kun Kuo, The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole, →ISBN:
   • Vijaya touched Rajam's forehead and exclaimed, Aiyo. She is running very high temperature. 2009, S. Manickavasagam, Power of Passion 218:
   • Aiyo! Never thought our beloved principal will come to this end. 1982, R.K. Narayan, Tiger for Malgudi (1984) 119:
   • Aiyo! aiyo! My little Podi Sinho! 1913, L. Woolf, Village in Jungle ii. 28:

Forms