於戲

於戲

1. (archaic and obsolete) ah; o; la; lo; alas; alack; well (onomatopoeic of sighing and signifying relief, closure, emphasis, admiration, calling to attention, or sadness, etc.)

   • 於乎前王不忘。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wūhū qiánwáng bùwàng. [Pinyin]

     Ah! the former kings are not forgotten!

   • 於戲！余維先人嘗掌斯事，顯於唐虞；至于周，復典之；故司馬氏世主天官。至於余乎，欽念哉！欽念哉！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     於戏！余维先人尝掌斯事，显于唐虞；至于周，复典之；故司马氏世主天官。至于余乎，钦念哉！钦念哉！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Wūhū! Yú wéi xiānrén cháng zhǎng sīshì, xiǎn yú Táng Yú; zhìyú Zhōu, fù diǎn zhī; gù Sīmǎshì shìzhǔ tiānguān. Zhìyú yú hū, qīn niàn zāi! Qīn niàn zāi! [Pinyin]

     Alas! I keep in mind how the predecessors of our lineage used to take charge of this duty (keeping astronomical and historical records), how they were once prominent during the times of Yao and Shun, and how they reclaimed the office during Zhou. We the Simas have always been a lineage versed in the heavenly matters indeed. Now it is I that have received this duty. Be reverent and remember this!

Chiefly used at sentence-initial. Although 於戲／于戏 (wūhū) is considered equivalent to 嗚呼 as an onomatopoeic interjection, it cannot be substituted where the latter is used as a verb that means "to die" (euphemistically or jocularly). For example, 一命嗚呼 (“to drop dead”) is considered idiomatic, but *一命於戲 is awkward or incorrect.

(interjection):

• 嗚呼／呜呼 (wūhū)