乎

Derived characters

• 𠇼, 呼, 垀, 𡛚, 𫼞, 泘, 𤝘, 㭔, 𣧯, 烀, 𬏃, 䉿, 𮎇, 𫊯, 𧦝(𫍞), 軤(轷), 䤣, 𫗶, 𩶈, 䴣, 𪏹, 𪕉
• 𮓦, 𫚶, 𬼔, 乯, 𬼡, 𤇠, 𠓧, 苸, 𥬏, 雽, 𢨽, 𤵡, 虖

Descendants

• ヲ

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 82, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 131
• Dae Jaweon: page 166, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 36, character 8
• Unihan data for U+4E4E

Pronunciation

Definitions

乎

1. in; at; on

   Synonym: 於／于

   • 故沛然德教溢乎四海。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Gù pèirán déjiào yì hū sìhǎi. [Pinyin]

     When this is the case, such an one's virtue and teachings will spread over all within the four seas like the rush of water.

   • 今子有五石之瓠，何不慮以為大樽而浮乎江湖，而憂其瓠落無所容？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     今子有五石之瓠，何不虑以为大樽而浮乎江湖，而忧其瓠落无所容？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Jīn zǐ yǒu wǔ dàn zhī hù, hé bù lǜ yǐwèi dà zūn ér fú hū jiānghú, ér yōu qí hùluò wú suǒ róng? [Pinyin]

     Sir, had calabashes large enough to hold five piculs; why did you not think of making large bottle-gourds of them, by means of which you could have floated over rivers and lakes, instead of giving yourself the sorrow of finding that they were useless for holding anything.

2. (indicates the object of an action) with; on

   Synonym: 於／于

   • 菲飲食，而致孝乎鬼神。 [MSC, trad.]
     菲饮食，而致孝乎鬼神。 [MSC, simp.]

     Fěi yǐnshí, ér zhì xiào hū guǐshén. [Pinyin]

     He used himself coarse food and drink, but displayed the utmost filial piety towards the spirits.

   • 齧缺問乎王倪。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     啮缺问乎王倪。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Niè Quē wèn hū Wáng Ní. [Pinyin]

     Nie Que asked Wang Ni.

3. (indicates comparison) than

   Synonym: 於／于

   • 福輕乎羽，莫之知載；禍重乎地，莫之知避。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     福轻乎羽，莫之知载；祸重乎地，莫之知避。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Fú qīng hū yǔ, mò zhī zhī zǎi; huò zhòng hū dì, mò zhī zhī bì. [Pinyin]

     Happiness is lighter than a feather, but no one knows how to support it; calamity is heavier than the earth, and yet no one knows how to avoid it.

4. ^† A suffix placed after adjectives and adverbs to express praise or amazement.
5. ^† Sentence-final interrogative particle.

   • 有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yǒu péng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bù yì lè hū? [Pinyin]

     Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?

6. ^† Sentence-final exclamatory particle.
7. ^† Sentence-final imperative particle.
8. ^† Sentence-final speculative particle.

Compounds

Pronunciation

Pronunciation

Definitions

乎

1. (Hokkien) Sentence-final particle expressing doubt with a question, especially to ask for confirmation: right?

   街路車真濟，乎？ [Hokkien, trad.]
   街路车真济，乎？ [Hokkien, simp.]

   Koe-lō͘ chhia chin chòe, hohⁿ? [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   There's so many cars on the road, right?

   你今仔日欲出去𨑨迌乎？ [Hokkien, trad. and simp.]

   Lí kin-á-li̍t beh chhut-khì chhit-thô hohⁿ? [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   You're going out today to play, right?

2. (Mainland China and Philippine Hokkien) Particle in the middle of a sentence to express a pause in speaking with slight emphasis on the preceding word: right

   我乎，欲寄你買一本冊。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   我乎，欲寄你买一本册。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   Góa hohⁿ, beh kià lí bóe chi̍t pún chheh. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   I, right, want to send you to buy a book.

   𪜶囝乎，欲做公司的經理囉。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   𪜶囝乎，欲做公司的经理啰。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   In kiáⁿ hohⁿ, beh chòe kong-si ê keng-lí lo͘h. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   Their son, right, is gonna be a company manager.

3. (Taiwanese Hokkien) Sentence-final particle expressing a question to tease or ridicule someone

   花是你送的乎？免歹勢啦！ [Hokkien, trad.]
   花是你送的乎？免歹势啦！ [Hokkien, simp.]

   Hoe sī lí sàng ê hohⁿ? Bián pháiⁿ-sè là! [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   You gave the flowers, didn't you? Don't be embarrassed!

4. (Taiwanese Hokkien) modal particle expressing understanding, comprehension, realization: oh!

   乎，原來是按呢喔！ [Hokkien, trad.]
   乎，原来是按呢喔！ [Hokkien, simp.]

   Hohⁿ, goân-lâi sī án-ni o͘h! [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   Oh! So that's how it is.

5. (Zhangzhou Hokkien) Sentence-final particle to indicate an imperative sentence

   你逐個月著寄批來乎。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   你逐个月着寄批来乎。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   Lí ta̍k kò goe̍h tio̍h kià phe lâi hohⁿ. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   You send a letter every month, okay?

Readings

• Go-on: ご (go)、お (o)^{←を (wo, historical)}
• Kan-on: こ (ko)
• Kun: よ (yo, 乎)、かな (kana, 乎)、ああ (ā, 乎)、や (ya, 乎)、か (ka, 乎)、を (o, 乎)

Phonogram

乎 (*-wo or *-hwo)

1. A syllabic phonogram denoting either final syllable *-wo or *-hwo

Suffix

乎 (*-wo)

1. A very common verbal suffix, sometimes called the "modulator" in English, whose meaning is disputed. See the Middle Korean entry 오 (-wo) for more.

Suffix

乎 (*-wo)

1. An adverb-deriving suffix.

Verb

乎 (*h(oy)-wo)

1. Form with modulator suffix of 爲 (*ho(y)-, “to do”)