乎

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

乎 (Kangxi radical 4, 丿+4, 5 strokes, cangjie input 竹火木 (HFD), four-corner 2040₉, composition ⿻𠂌丷)

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

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 乎
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Oracle bone script j11586 j11587 j11588 j11589 j11590 j11591 j11592 j11593 j11594 j11595 j11596 j11597 j11598 j11599 j11600 j11601 j11602 j11603 j11604 j11605 j11606 j11607 j11608 j11609 j11610 j11611 j11612 j11613 j11614 j11615 j11616 j11617 j11618 j11619 j11620 j11621 j11622 j11623 j11624 j11625 j11626 j11627 j11628 j11629 j11630 j11631 j11632 j11633 j11634 j11635 j11636 j11637 j11638 j11639 j11640 j11641 j11642 j11643 j11644 j11645 j11646 j11647 j11648 j11649 j11650 j11651 j11652 j11653 j11654 j11655 j11656 j11657 j11658 j11659 j11660 j11661 j11662 j11663 j11664 j11665 j11666 j11667 j11668 j11669 j11670 j11671 j11672 j11673 j11674 j11675 j11676 j11677 j11678 j11679 j11680 j11681 j11682 j11683 j11684 j11685 j11686 j11687 j11688 j11689 j11690 j11691 j11692 Bronze inscriptions b07119 b07120 b07121 b07122 b07123 b07124 b07125 b07126 b07127 b07128 b07129 b07130 b07131 b07132 b07133 b07134 b07135 b07136 b07137 b07138 b07139 b07140 b07141 b07142 b07143 b07144 b07145 b07146 b07147 b07148 b07149 b07150 b07151 b07152 b07153 b07154 b07155 b07156 b07157 b07158 b07159 b07160 Small seal script s03512 Transcribed ancient scripts L03355 L03356 L03357
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢaː) : semantic (“wind; air”) + phonetic 丂 (OC *kʰluːʔ, “branch”) – original form of 呼 (OC *qʰaː, “to call; to cry”). Compare 兮 (OC *ɢeː).

Etymology 1

in; at; on

Attrited or unstressed form of 於 (OC *qa) (Schuessler, 2007).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

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.

     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?

     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.

     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.

     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.

     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?

     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

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Definitions

乎

1. Alternative form of 予 (“hō͘”)

   • 嫁乎你是阮今生的願望。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     嫁乎你是阮今生的愿望。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     From: 2015, 曹雅雯 and 許富凱, 今生的願望

     Kè hō͘ lí sī gún kim-seng ê goān-bāng. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     Getting married to you is my wish in this life.

   • 看你為伊咧傷心，乎我心內像針揻。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     看你为伊咧伤心，乎我心内像针揻。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     From: 2017, 蔡佳麟, 心‧離開

     Khòaⁿ lí ūi i teh siong-sim, hō͘ góa sim-lāi chhiūⁿ chiam ui. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     Seeing you grieve over him makes my heart feel like it is poked with a needle.

Etymology 3

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?

Japanese

Kanji

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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)

Etymology

Korean

Hanja

乎 (eumhun 어조사 호 (eojosa ho))

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Naver Hanja Dictionary: 乎

Old Korean

Etymology 1

From the Middle Chinese reading 乎 (MC hu).

Phonogram

乎 (*-wo or *-hwo)

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

Etymology 2

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.

Descendants

• Middle Korean: 오 (-wo, yang-vowel modulator suffix)

Etymology 3

Suffix

乎 (*-wo)

1. An adverb-deriving suffix.

Descendants

• Middle Korean: 오 (-wo, yang-vowel adverb-deriving suffix)

Etymology 4

Verb

乎 (*h(oy)-wo)

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

References

• 황선엽 (Hwang Seon-yeop), 이전경 (Yi Jeon-gyeong), 하귀녀 (Ha Gwi-nyeo), 이용 (Yi Yong), 박진호 (Park Jin-ho), 김성주 (Kim Seong-ju), 장경준 (Jang Gyeong-jun), 서민욱 (Seo Min-uk), 이지영 (Yi Ji-yeong), 서형국 (Seo Hyeong-guk). (2009) 석독구결사전/釋讀口訣辭典 [Dictionary of interpretive gugyeol], Bakmunsa, →ISBN, pages 393—396

Vietnamese

Han character

乎: Hán Việt readings: hồ, hô
乎: Nôm readings: hồ

1. (Literary Chinese) sentence final particle expressing a question.