Definitions
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, composed of simple strokes without a clear modern radical, originated as a depiction of a twisted rope or drawn breath. Its original physical sense became obsolete, and the character evolved exclusively into grammatical functions. In classical literature, it often serves as a pronoun meaning "you" or "your". As a conjunction or adverb, it links events sequentially, meaning "then" or "hence". It also acts as an emphatic copula, stressing identity or nature with meanings like "is indeed" or "precisely".
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。