乃

nǎi

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Adverb Uncommon

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Definitions

1. to be
2. thus
3. so
4. therefore
5. then
6. only
7. thereupon

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Character focus

Stroke order

2 strokes

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Word relationships

Register variants

1 item

• 则 zé 则 zé (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then 文言副词，用于书面语: (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

Synonyms

3 items

• 就是 jiù shì 就是 jiù shì exactly; precisely 用于加强语气或表示强调，相当于“是”: exactly; precisely
• 于是 yú shì 于是 yú shì thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence 表示后一事承接前一事: thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence
• 就 jiù 就 jiù (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then 表示前后事情紧接着: (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then

Usage notes

Common mistakes

“乃”多用于文言或书面语，口语中常用“就”或“于是”代替。误用在口语里会显得生硬。

Grammar

Guides that feature 乃

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1 guide

HSK 2.0 Level 6+ HSK 3.0 Level 7–9+ 6 min

乃 for a Formal “Is”

Use 乃 as a formal, written “is” in sayings, speeches and official statements, as in 失败乃成功之母.

Reading: nǎi Open guide

Example Sentences

1 shown

努力 乃 成功之道。

Hard work is the path to success.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 乃

• 乃至 乃至 nǎi zhì: and even
• 乃堆拉 乃堆拉 nǎi duī lā: Nathu La (Himalayan pass on Silk Road between Tibet and Indian Sikkim)
• 乃堆拉山口 乃堆拉山口 nǎi duī lā shān kǒu: Nathu La (Himalayan pass on Silk Road between Tibet and Indian Sikkim)
• 乃是 乃是 nǎi shì: equivalent to either 是[shì] or 就是[jiù shì]
• 乃东 乃东 nǎi dōng: Nêdong county, Tibetan: Sne gdong rdzong, in Lhokha prefecture 山南地區|山南地区[shān nán dì qū], Tibet
• 乃东县 乃东县 nǎi dōng xiàn: Nêdong county, Tibetan: Sne gdong rdzong, in Lhokha prefecture 山南地區|山南地区[shān nán dì qū], Tibet
• 乃尔 乃尔 nǎi ěr: thus
• 吉木乃 吉木乃 jí mù nǎi: Jeminay county or Jéminey nahiyisi in Altay prefecture 阿勒泰地區|阿勒泰地区[ā lè tài dì qū], Xinjiang
• 吉木乃县 吉木乃县 jí mù nǎi xiàn: Jeminay county or Jéminey nahiyisi in Altay prefecture 阿勒泰地區|阿勒泰地区[ā lè tài dì qū], Xinjiang
• 安乃近 安乃近 ān nǎi jìn: analgin (loanword)
• 康乃馨 康乃馨 kāng nǎi xīn: carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) (loanword)
• 木乃伊 木乃伊 mù nǎi yī: mummy (preserved corpse) (loanword)
• 木乃伊化 木乃伊化 mù nǎi yī huà: to mummify
• 百胜难虑敌，三折乃良医 百胜难虑敌，三折乃良医 bǎi shèng nán lǜ dí , sān zhé nǎi liáng yī: (a line from a poem by the Tang poet Liu Yuxi 劉禹錫|刘禹锡[liú yǔ xī]) one gains very little insight into one's enemy from a hundred victories, but he who breaks his arm three times will be a good doctor
• 纳塔乃耳 纳塔乃耳 nà tǎ nǎi ěr: Nathaniel
• 西乃 西乃 xī nǎi: Sinai
• 西乃山 西乃山 xī nǎi shān: Mount Sinai
• 道所存者，乃师所存者 道所存者，乃师所存者 dào suǒ cún zhě , nǎi shī suǒ cún zhě: If sb has grasped the truth before you, take him as your teacher (Tang dynasty essayist Han Yu 韓愈|韩愈[hán yù]).