乎 (hū) — (modal particle, Classical) marks an exclamation or rhetorical question, often in literary or formal contexts
Definition
Classical-Chinese particle that ends an exclamation (善乎！) or rhetorical question (岂不悲乎？). You will only see it in literary, philosophical, or set-phrase contexts — never in modern speech.
particle
(modal particle, Classical) marks an exclamation or rhetorical questionoften in literary or formal contexts
Examples
- ！Bú yì lè hū!Isn't it joyful! (from Confucius, often used to express delight)
- 乎？Qǐ bù bēi hū?How could it not be sad? (rhetorical question in literary style)
- 乎，。Shàn hū, wú zhī suǒ dé.How excellent — that which I have attained. (archaic exclamation)
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