乃 nǎi then
then; so; thereupon
How it came to be
One curved stroke, hooked back at the bottom. The oldest reading has it as a breast drawn from the side; another takes it for a long drawn breath. In most characters it does sound work.
用法
- Classical/literary word doing the work of 是/就是 (to be) or 于是 (thereupon) - 失败乃成功之母 (shībài nǎi chénggōng zhī mǔ) failure is the mother of success.
- Also 'and even, going so far as' in 乃至 (nǎizhì).
- Marks formal, written, or deliberately archaic register; you won't hear it in casual speech.