Definitions
(adverb)
therefore; thus; so; then
(verb)
to be
Etymology
Possibly depicts a woman standing sideways with her breasts protruding. Based on the original meaning "breast", now written as 奶. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "乃" originated from a pictographic form that conceptually represented a bent or connected shape, leading to its initial semantic function as a second-person pronoun meaning "you" or "your" in classical Chinese literature. Its usage later shifted toward grammatical roles, where it served as a copula meaning "to be" or as an adverb indicating temporal sequence or logical consequence, such as "then" or "thereupon". The character's structure has remained a simple two-stroke configuration throughout its history, without decomposition into more complex components in its standard writing.
Example Sentences Hide
这乃是事实。
他乃是我们班长。
我乃公司经理。
此乃最佳选择。
他失败乃因准备不足。
这个问题乃至老师都无法解答。
他之所以成功，乃是因为不断努力。
此次会议之重要性，乃在于凝聚共识。