About
The character 岂 functions primarily as an adverb to form rhetorical questions, conveying doubt, disbelief, or impossibility. In its traditional form 豈, it was a phono-semantic compound originally related to triumphant music or a victorious army's return, containing components resembling a mountain and a ceremonial vessel or drum. The simplified version 岂 reduces this structure to the mountain radical 山 (shān) atop the phonetic component 己 (jǐ, meaning "self"). Although its original connection to musical celebration is lost, it consistently serves its grammatical role in rhetorical phrases equivalent to "how could it be?" or "wouldn't it?"
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这岂不是很好？
你岂能不知道？
这样做岂不是浪费时间？
他岂会轻易答应这种条件？
你岂可听信一面之词？
此事的发展岂是我们能预料的？
他岂是那种背信弃义的小人？
面对如此诘问，他岂有不慌张之理？