乎 (hū) - A classical Chinese particle expressing: 1) interrogation or & 2) exclamation or emphasis

乎Tone 1

hū ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 丿

枫惠

乎 · hū

A classical Chinese particle expressing: 1) interrogation or doubt (equivalent to '吗' or '呢');

2) exclamation or emphasis;

3) prepositional use (equivalent to '于');

4) suffix in adjectives/adverbs (e.

g.

, 几乎, 似乎).

A classical Chinese particle expressing: 1) interrogation or2) exclamation or emphasis3) prepositional use (equivalent to '于')

Usage highlights

almost/nearlyseemingly/apparentlyIs it so?/Really?care about/mindexclamationIs it possible?

Synonyms

  • 吗— interrogative particle (modern equivalent)
  • 于— preposition 'at/in' (classical equivalent)
  • 呢— interrogative particle (modern equivalent)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Is it really so?(岂有此乎?)
  • It seems almost impossible (几乎不可能).
  • He seems very happy (他似乎很高兴).
  • This matter lies in your decision (此事在乎你的决定).

Collocations

  • almost/nearly(几乎)
  • seemingly/apparently(似乎)
  • Is it so?/Really?(乎?)
  • care about/mind(在乎)
  • exclamation(呜呼)
  • Is it possible?(可乎?)

Idioms

  • Is it not a joy?(不亦乐乎)
  • unexpectedly/unforeseen(出乎意料)
  • exceedingly rare(异乎寻常)
  • conform to/fit in(合乎)
  • transcend the ordinary(超乎寻常)
  • beyond comparison(迥乎不同)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted the exhalation of breath, later grammaticalized into a modal particle.
  • Frequently used in classical Chinese texts (e.g., Confucian Analects) for rhetorical questions and emphasis.
  • In modern Chinese, it survives primarily in fixed compounds and literary expressions.

FAQ