isn't it; wouldn't that be; I'm afraid
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesadverb
used in rhetorical questions to express disagreement or doubt, similar to "isn't it" or "wouldn't that be", but with a milder tone
archaicClassical Chinese adverb typically used in the pattern 无乃...乎. It indicates a polite, tentative doubt or soft disagreement rather than strong negation.
Wú无
nǎi乃
bù不
kě可
hū乎
？
Wouldn't that be unacceptable?
Jūn君
rén人
zhě者
，
wú无
nǎi乃
yǐ以
duō多
rén人
wéi为
yù愈
hū乎
？
As a ruler, might you not consider having many people to be better?
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Ruò若
ěr尔
，
wú无
nǎi乃
shī失
mín民
zhī之
yì意
hū乎
？
If so, wouldn't we be losing the trust of the people?
Wú无
nǎi乃
shāng伤
hū乎
？
Wouldn't that be harmful?