also: へぇー
interjection
Expresses mild surprise, interest, or skepticism in response to new information. Often used in casual conversation.
「明日から一週間休みなんだ。」「へえ、いいね。」
"I'm off for a week starting tomorrow." "Oh? That's nice."
「この店のラーメン、すごくおいしいんだよ。」「へえ、本当？」
"The ramen at this place is really good." "Really? Is that so?"
Small-kana variant, common in casual writing.
Katakana variant, often used in manga or casual writing for emphasis.
Small-kana with long vowel mark, used for drawn-out pronunciation.
A natural exclamation; the exact origin is uncertain, but it likely developed as an onomatopoeic expression of mild surprise.