而

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

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Radical 126 而

而 (Kangxi radical 126, 而+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 一月中中 (MBLL), four-corner 1022₇, composition ⿱一𦓐 or ⿱丆𦉫)

1. Kangxi radical #126, ⽽.

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/而
• 侕, 㖇, 峏, 㧫, 洏, 𭸄, 陑, 𨒩, 𣆝, 栭, 𭹄, 胹, 𮁮, 𥅡, 袻, 粫, 𥿶, 𦎂, 𫅺, 聏, 䛔, 輀(𮝵), 𩰴, 鮞(鲕), 𪎿
• 𤭃, 𨾿, 鴯(鸸), 恧, 𡜚, 荋, 斋, 𡭺, 𥬵, 需, 髵, 㾍, 𪊫, 𨴎, 𡄠

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 961, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 28871
• Dae Jaweon: page 1409, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2810, character 1
• Unihan data for U+800C

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 而
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Pictogram (象形) – a beard. Original form of 耏 (OC *nɯːs, *njɯ) or 髵 (OC *njɯ).

Etymology

"you; your"

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *na-ŋ (“you”). Cognate with 爾 (OC *njelʔ) and is considered a variant form thereof.

"then", "and"

Unstressed form of 乃 (OC *nɯːʔ) (Pulleyblank, 1995, p. 45).

Pronunciation

Definitions

而

1. and (used to connect two clauses or adjectives)

   偉大而艱巨的任務 [MSC, trad.]
   伟大而艰巨的任务 [MSC, simp.]

   wěidà ér jiānjù de rènwù

   a great and arduous task

   • 目逆而送之，曰：「美而豔。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     目逆而送之，曰：「美而艳。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Mù nì ér sòng zhī, yuē: “Měi ér yàn.”

     (Huafu Du) kept ogling at her as if to receive her with his gaze, then at her departing figure, saying "How beautiful, and how gorgeous."

   • 天地與我並存，而萬物與我為一。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     天地与我并存，而万物与我为一。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Tiāndì yǔ wǒ bìngcún, ér wànwù yǔ wǒ wèi yī.

     The universe and I came into being together; and I, and everything therein, are One.

2. then (connecting two verbs or verb-phrases); and

   • 賜不幸言而中。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     赐不幸言而中。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Cì bùxìng yán ér zhòng.

     As ill fortune had it, Ci spoke of this, then his words turned out to be true.

3. and yet; but; nevertheless (conjunction indicating concession or contrast)

   有其名而無其實／有其名而无其实  ―  yǒu qí míng ér wú qíshí  ―  in name but not in reality

   • 心猶豫而狐疑兮，欲自適而不可。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     心犹豫而狐疑兮，欲自适而不可。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Xīn yóuyù ér húyí xī, yù zìshì ér bùkě.

     Like whelp in doubt, like timid fox in fear,
     I wished to go, but wandered ever near.

   • 君子易知而難狎，易懼而難脅，畏患而不避義死，欲利而不為所非，交親而不比，言辯而不辭。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君子易知而难狎，易惧而难胁，畏患而不避义死，欲利而不为所非，交亲而不比，言辩而不辞。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Jūnzǐ yì zhī ér nán xiá, yì jù ér nán xié, wèi huàn ér bùbì yìsǐ, yù lì ér bùwéi suǒfēi, jiāo qīn ér bù bǐ, yán biàn ér bù cí.

     Those who are superior in character can be easily understood but cannot be approached with inappropriate familiarity; they are often timid and cautious, but cannot be threatened; they fear peril but are ready to die for a righteous cause; they desire what is beneficial, but choose not to achieve it by means they disapprove of; they befriend acquaintances but do not form cliques; they speak with eloquence but without flourish.

4. to (often used with 自)

   自上而下  ―  zìshàng'érxià  ―  from top to bottom; top-down

5. particle between adverbial element and verb to indicate cause, purpose, or manner

   半途而廢／半途而废  ―  bàntú'érfèi  ―  to give up halfway

   不幸而言中  ―  bùxìng'éryánzhòng  ―  to make an accurate prediction despite its unfortunate nature

   • 吾嘗終日而思矣，不如須臾之所學也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     吾尝终日而思矣，不如须臾之所学也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Wú cháng zhōngrì ér sī yǐ, bùrú xūyú zhī suǒxué yě.

     I used to contemplate all day long only to obtain no more than what can be achieved with learning in a short while.

   • 昔孔子何為而作《春秋》哉？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     昔孔子何为而作《春秋》哉？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Xī Kǒngzǐ héwèi ér zuò “Chūnqiū” zāi?

     At that time, for what purpose did Confucius compile the Spring and Autumn?

   1. particle between two verbs or verb phrases indicating that the first is used adverbially

      不得其門而入／不得其门而入  ―  bùdéqímén'érrù  ―  to fail to understand (literally, "to be unable to enter by finding the gate")

      • 浴乎沂，風乎舞雩，詠而歸。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
        浴乎沂，风乎舞雩，咏而归。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

        Yù hū Yí, fēng hū Wǔyú, yǒng ér guī.

        bathe in the Yi, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing.

      • 如有不嗜殺人者，則天下之民皆引領而望之矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
        如有不嗜杀人者，则天下之民皆引领而望之矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

        From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

        Rú yǒu bùshì shārén zhě, zé tiānxià zhī mín jiē yǐnlǐng ér wàng zhī yǐ.

        If there were one who did not find pleasure in killing men, all the people in the nation would look towards him with outstretched necks.

6. modal particle indicating hypothetical condition

   • 人而無禮，胡不遄死？ [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     人而无礼，胡不遄死？ [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Rén ér wúlǐ, hú bù chuán sǐ?

     If a man observe no rules of propriety,
     Why does he not quickly die?

   • 假令晏子而在，余雖爲之執鞭，所忻慕焉。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     假令晏子而在，余虽为之执鞭，所忻慕焉。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Jiǎlìng Yànzǐ ér zài, yú suī wèizhī zhíbiān, suǒ xīnmù yān.

     Were Yan Ying alive, even if I were to be a coachman for him, there shall be where my joy and admiration lie.

7. modal particle indicating tendency or immediate action

   • 此三子者，皆布衣之士也；懷怒未發，休祲降於天，與臣而將四矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     此三子者，皆布衣之士也；怀怒未发，休祲降于天，与臣而将四矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Cǐ sān zǐ zhě, jiē bùyī zhī shì yě; huái nù wèi fā, xiū jìn jiàng yú tiān, yǔ chén ér jiāng sì yǐ.

     All of those three worthy men were heroes among humble commoners who, having not even released their wrath, saw omens auspicious to their heroic deeds and ruinous to their opponents dispatched by Heaven. Now, with me, there is about to be a fourth.

8. (literary) you; your

   • 余弟死，而子來，是而子殺余之弟也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     余弟死，而子来，是而子杀余之弟也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Yú dì sǐ, ér zǐ lái, shì ér zǐ shā yú zhī dì yě.

     My younger brother died, but your son returned. This means your son murdered my younger brother.

   • 此後亦非而所知也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     此后亦非而所知也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Cǐ hòu yì fēi ér suǒ zhī yě.

     Things after this are not things you will know.

Synonyms

See also

• 與／与 (yǔ, “and”), used to connect two nouns

Compounds