乃 meaning and stroke order
To be; thus; so
How to write 乃, stroke by stroke
2 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
Meaning of 乃
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to be
- thus
- so
- therefore
- then
- only
How 乃 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A pregnant woman; compare 孕.
Radical: 丿 (slash), shared by 19 characters on this site.
How to remember 乃
The etymology hint says 乃 (nǎi) pictures a pregnant woman, the same idea you can see on top of 孕 (yùn, pregnant). Think of the curved body carrying a child: what comes next is the result, so 乃 means "then" or "thus."
乃 is a formal, literary word you will meet in written Chinese, set phrases and classical quotes rather than everyday speech. It often works like 是 (shì) or 就是 (jiù shì), as in 乃是, and it appears in 乃至 (nǎizhì, and even). Example: 失败乃成功之母。(Shībài nǎi chénggōng zhī mǔ.) Failure is the mother of success.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 乃 with 及 (jí, and; to reach), which looks similar but has an extra stroke and a different meaning. Also remember the third tone: nǎi, the same sound as 奶 (nǎi, milk), which contains 乃 on its right side.
Common words with 乃
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
乃 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 乃
Learning 乃 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 乃
How many strokes are in 乃?
乃 is written with 2 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 乃 mean?
乃 (nǎi) means to be; thus; so. A common word with it is 乃至 (nǎizhì), meaning "and even; to go so far as to".
How do you pronounce 乃?
乃 is pronounced nǎi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 乃?
The radical of 乃 is 丿, which carries the idea of "slash". Dictionaries list 乃 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 乃?
The traditional form of 乃 is 廼. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 乃 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 乃 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 乃 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why is 乃 in the word for mummy, 木乃伊?
木乃伊 (mùnǎiyī) is a loanword, so 乃 is used only for its sound, not its meaning. The three characters together imitate the foreign word for mummy.
Can I use 乃 instead of 是 in normal conversation?
Usually no. 乃 sounds formal or old-fashioned, so in daily speech just say 是 (shì) or 就是 (jiù shì). Save 乃 for writing, speeches or fixed sayings.