Chinese Character: 乎
1. Character Basics
Radical: 丿/piě (slash) + 乎/hū (乎 itself as radical)
Stroke Count: 5 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Hū (First tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: Sentence-final particle; modal particle; used to indicate interrogation, exclamation, or doubt
Extended Meaning: Approximately; about; around
Additional Notes: In classical Chinese, it is often used as an interrogative particle, similar to "吗" (ma) in modern Chinese.
4. Common Words
- 在乎 (zài hu): Care about; mind
Example: 我不在乎别人的看法。 (Wǒ bù zài hu bié rén de kàn fǎ.) - I don't care about others' opinions.
- 几乎 (jī hū): Almost; nearly
Example: 他几乎每天都锻炼。 (Tā jī hū měi tiān dōu duàn liàn.) - He exercises almost every day.
- 似乎 (sì hū): Seem; appear
Example: 他似乎不太高兴。 (Tā sì hū bù tài gāo xìng.) - He seems to be unhappy.
- 出乎意料 (chū hū yì liào): Beyond expectation
Example: 结果出乎意料。 (Jié guǒ chū hū yì liào.) - The result was beyond expectation.
- 神乎其神 (shén hū qí shén): Amazing; incredible
Example: 他的表演神乎其神。 (Tā de biǎo yǎn shén hū qí shén.) - His performance is amazing.
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Mainly used as a particle or a component of compound words.
Common Usage:
- 作为句末语气词: As a sentence-final particle
- 作为复合词的组成部分: As part of compound words
Common Structures:
- 几乎 + 动词: Almost + verb
Example: 我几乎忘记了这件事。 (Wǒ jī hū wàng jì le zhè jiàn shì.) - I almost forgot about this matter.
- 似乎 + 形容词/动词: Seem + adjective/verb
Example: 天气似乎要变。 (Tiān qì sì hū yào biàn.) - The weather seems to be changing.
Usage Notes: In modern Chinese, "乎" is rarely used independently and is mostly found in fixed expressions, compound words, or classical Chinese texts.
6. Cultural Background
Cultural Significance: In classical Chinese literature, "乎" was widely used as an interrogative, exclamatory, or confirmatory particle. It often appears in philosophical texts such as "The Analects of Confucius" (论语 - Lún Yǔ) and "Zhuangzi" (庄子 - Zhuāng Zǐ).
Historical Usage: During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, "乎" was one of the most common particles in classical Chinese, used in various sentence patterns.
Idiomatic Expressions:
- 不亦乐乎 (bù yì lè hū): Extremely happy
- 之乎者也 (zhī hū zhě yě): Classical Chinese particles, often used to refer to old-fashioned writing
- 微乎其微 (wēi hū qí wēi): Very small or insignificant
7. Example Sentence
Sentence 1: 不亦乐乎？
Pronunciation: Bù yì lè hū?
Translation: Isn't it a pleasure?
Sentence 2: 他的话似乎有道理。
Pronunciation: Tā de huà sì hū yǒu dào lǐ.
Translation: His words seem to make sense.
Sentence 3: 机会几乎已经消失了。
Pronunciation: Jī huì jī hū yǐ jīng xiāo shī le.
Translation: The opportunity has almost disappeared.
8. Memory Tips
1. Structure Memory: The character "乎" has a simple structure with 5 strokes. Imagine it as a person raising both hands in surprise, which relates to its use as an exclamation particle.
2. Sound Association: The pronunciation "hū" sounds similar to the English word "who", but with a higher and flatter tone.
3. Word Grouping: Group words that contain "乎": 几乎 (almost), 似乎 (seem), 在乎 (care about).
4. Stroke Order Practice: Practice writing the 5 strokes in order: ノ, ノ, 一, 丨, 亅.
5. Context Usage: Remember that "乎" is mostly used in compound words in modern Chinese, while in classical texts it's used as a particle.