奈 meaning and stroke order
But, how; to bear, to stand, to endure
How to write 奈, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 奈
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in expressions that convey frustration and futility, such as 無奈|无奈[wu2 nai4] and 莫可奈何|莫可奈何[mo4 ke3 nai4 he2] (literary)
- used for its phonetic value in writing foreign words
How 奈 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man 大 with spirit 示.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 奈
奈 puts a person 大 (dà) on top of 示 (shì), the spirit or altar sign. Picture a man standing helplessly before the spirits, unable to change his fate. That feeling of "what can I do?" is the core of 奈.
奈 almost never appears alone in modern Chinese. It lives inside set words like 无奈 (wúnài), 奈何 (nàihé), and 无可奈何 (wúkěnàihé), all expressing helplessness. Example: 他很无奈地笑了笑。(Tā hěn wúnài de xiào le xiào.) He smiled helplessly.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 奈 with 柰 (nài, a kind of crab apple), which has 木 on top instead of 大. Some also write the bottom as 小 or 未, but it is 示 with its two short top strokes and three bottom strokes.
Common words with 奈
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
奈 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 奈
How many strokes are in 奈?
奈 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 奈 mean?
奈 (nài) means but, how; to bear, to stand, to endure. A common word with it is 无奈 (wúnài), meaning "to have no alternative; frustrated".
How do you pronounce 奈?
奈 is pronounced nài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 奈?
The radical of 奈 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 奈 under this radical.
Is 奈 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 奈 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 无奈 and 无可奈何?
Both mean having no choice or feeling helpless. 无奈 is shorter and works as an adjective, adverb, or even a conjunction meaning "unfortunately" at the start of a clause. 无可奈何 is a four-character idiom that sounds more formal and emphatic, as in 他无可奈何地走了 (He left, having no other option).
Why does 奈 appear in foreign names and brand names?
奈 is used for its sound nài when transliterating foreign words. Common examples include 奈良 (Nàiliáng, Nara in Japan) and 耐克 is written with a different character, so watch out. Brands like 奈雪 (Nàixuě) also use it for its soft sound.