What does "Wai!" mean or represent?

[Omega Amen]

This question has been in my mind for several weeks now, and I would really like a sincere explanation.

I have been noticing this expression, "Wai!" for a while now. (Sometimes I see it expressed as "waaaiiiiiiiii" or "WAI!!!" or "waiii....") What does "Wai!" mean or represent?

I doubt it is a Chinese expression, since I have been raised by my Chinese mother, and I never heard her use that expression. So I am guessing it is Japanese in origin. Also, I have noticed so for that only ladies use this expression.

If anybody can clarify this, I would greatly appreciate it.

(Note: I put this in the General forum for two reasons. First, I do want a sincere explanation. Second, I consider this learning a cultural expression.)

[aznmagic2015]

Well it depends on how you use it. Chinese people use it too but it's only with the Cantonese dialects. They say Wai instead of Wei like the Mandarin people for saying "hey". Japanese people use it for saying "Wow" or something along those lines. Wai actually came from China but since modern China today uses Mandarin as the standard language you don't hear it as much. Cantonese and the southern Chinese dialects are closer to the Tang dynasty language which Japanese took words from to put into thier language.

[Reverie]

The Japanese "Wai" is equivalent for "Yay," I think.

[Mave]

That's how I use it. To express excitement or joy

Wwwwaaaaaaiiii!!! = Yeeeeaaaaaaahhh!!!

[Omega Amen]

Okay, I see. It is an expression of excitement. By the way, my mother was born in the southeast area of China. However, the local dialect where she came from has little, if any, relation to Cantonese. (She cannot understand Cantonese at all.) Yes, she also primarily speaks the Mandarin dialect (though with her family she occasionally switches back to her local dialect).

I have one more question in relation to the "Wai!" expression. As I mentioned before, I have noticed only women using this expression. Is it true that only women use the expression? If so, can someone explain why?

[Saint Kevin]

Is it kinda like "Yatta!" ?

[YesIExist]

Hmm. I would have have thought someone was crying.

[SwordSkill]

i think only women use "wai" in Japanese culture because it's a more "girlie" word to say. same reason why only Japanese boys use "suge" and "proper" Japanese girls pronounce it as "sugoii" (which is the right one, btw XD). if a girl pronounced "sugoii" as "suge," it usually means she's more tomboyish or was raised in a dominantly-male family. same thing applies for the corruption of "kakoii" into "kake" for males. it's not like you can't use them depending if you're a boy or girl...it just leads to a few implications. ^^;; yes, the Japanese are very conscious of their sexual codes of behavior.

<off-topic> omega amen, your mom comes from the southeastern part of china? which province?</off-topic>

[Omega Amen]

Thorough geographic answer to SwordSkill's off-topic question:

I just got my mother's permission to release this information. She was born in the city of Hengyang in the province of Hunan. The Yangtze river and Dongting Lake is at this province's north border. The Jiangxi province is at Hunan's east border. The Guangdong province (where the Canton region is located, near Hong Kong) is at Hunan's south border. The Hunan province has a lot of rivers (tributaries of the Yangtze) and lakes, and the city of Hengyang actually is located right next to Hunan's largest one, the Xiang (or Xiangjiang) river.

For those interested in this area, or need a visual reference, I quickly grabbed some links:

Some info. on Hunan province.

Some info. on Hengyang.

Maps of China, including maps of provinces like Hunan.

My mother said her local dialect can be described as a southern version of Mandarin (a southern accent and some different pronounciations). Since it is very similar, she believes Mandarin speakers can understand the dialect if they pay a little more attention during dialogue.

Okay, let's get back on topic. This thread is supposed to be about "Wai!"

i think only women use "wai" in Japanese culture because it's a more "girlie" word to say.

That was what I was thinking.... I was wondering if there is any more substance to the association of "Wai!" with women.

yes, the Japanese are very conscious of their sexual codes of behavior.

Yes, indeed they are.

I am honestly surprised that I have gotten so many responses to this subject. I thought the subject might seem a little odd, but the question kept bugging me.

[YesIExist]

[quote="SwordSkill"]i think only women use "wai" in Japanese culture because it's a more "girlie" word to say. same reason why only Japanese boys use "suge" and "proper" Japanese girls pronounce it as "sugoii" (which is the right one, btw XD). if a girl pronounced "sugoii" as "suge," it usually means she's more tomboyish or was raised in a dominantly-male family. same thing applies for the corruption of "kakoii" into "kake" for males. it's not like you can't use them depending if you're a boy or girl...it just leads to a few implications. ^^]

You mean they conform strongly to gender norms.

[SwordSkill]

//response to the locational off-topic, lol//

oh, she's from Hunan? i see. ^^ lol, i was just curious. i'm dominantly southern Chinese myself, but some of my northern strains still show.

//end off-topic//

You mean they conform strongly to gender norms.

XD yeah, that's another (or the more social-constructivist) way of putting it.

//in a desperate attempt to stay on topic//

...i think "wai"s are used primarily by younger women, if not always by girls. i've yet still to see an oba-san go "wai" with matching hands-on-cheeks. XD