Definition
乃 (nǎi) is a literary adverb with two main uses: (1) 'thus/therefore' to introduce a result, similar to 于是 but more classical and less common in speech; (2) 'precisely/indeed' before a noun to emphasize identity (e.g., 此乃 'this is precisely'). Unlike 于是 (conjunction, more modern) or 故 (also literary, 'hence'), 乃 can also serve as an emphatic copula.
adverb
(literary adverb) thusthereforethen(literary adverb) used before a noun to emphasize identity: preciselyindeedafter all
Easily confused
- 刀dāolook-alikeknife; blade
- 耐nàisound-aliketo bear; to endure; to withstand
- 力lìlook-alikepower, force, strength
- 万wànlook-aliketen thousand
- 垂chuílook-aliketo hang down, to droop, to dangle
Examples
- ，乃。Tā nǔlì xuéxí, nǎi zhōng yǒu suǒ chéng.He studied hard, and thus eventually achieved something.
- 乃。Cǐ nǎi wǒ duō nián lái de xīnyuàn.This is indeed the wish I have cherished for many years.
- 乃，。Shībài nǎi chénggōng zhī mǔ, zhè huà yìdiǎn yě bù jiǎ.Failure is the mother of success — this saying is absolutely true.
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