hé

盍

Character · AdverbTraditional盇

why not

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

adverb

why not; how about

literary

An archaic interrogative adverb used in classical Chinese to propose a course of action or make a suggestion. It is equivalent to the modern expression "何不 (hé bù)". Found primarily in literary texts and set phrases.

Hé盍
wǎng往
shì视
zhī之
 ？

Why not go and see it?

Zǐ子
hé盍
yán言
ěr尔
zhì志
 ？

How about you tell us your aspiration?

Show 1 more example
Zhōng中
xīn心
hào好
zhī之
 ，
hé盍
yǐn饮
shí食
zhī之
 ？

Since you like it in your heart, why not partake of it?