5

On a particular forum is a banner reading:

此乃舊貼唯讀區

which I imagine is a highfalutin way of saying that this thread is read-only.

Now, 乃 has many senses in my dictionary. What is the sense of 乃 being used here? My best guess would be "only", in the sense that this page is "nothing more than" a read-only area.

Improve this question
2
  • 2
    此 乃 = This is, 舊貼 = old posts, 唯讀區 = read-only area.
    – Stan
    Jul 23, 2013 at 6:08
  • From what I could read from the sentence it means the word "is" as mentioned by Stan
    – Yao Bo Lu
    Jul 23, 2013 at 6:24

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6

Here "乃" means "be". This sentence means "This area is for old posts, and these posts are read-only."

Next time, if you find "此乃" these two characters together or a noun+乃 together, "乃" properly means "be". For example:

此乃我的书.
This is my book.

意识乃是大脑的一种自然属性。
Consciousness is an emergent property of the brain.

Improve this answer
4
  • 4
    It should be emphasized that 乃 is an ancient expression in Chinese -- though it's occasionally used today, the whole sentence should be "of some old-style". To some extent, 此乃我的书 sounds a little funny/silly because 我的 is a modern expression. In a formal occasion, such a sentence will be criticized as 半文不白 (mixed style of classical and vernacular Chinese). However, compared with a single 乃, the compound verb 乃是 sounds a limited little more modern, so 意识乃是大脑的一种自然属性 is OK.
    – Stan
    Jul 23, 2013 at 10:27
  • Stan you should make your own answer. I'd upvote you :)
    – deutschZuid
    Jul 23, 2013 at 23:50
  • 此乃我书, 的 is not required in the classical form.
    – 杨以轩
    Jul 24, 2013 at 4:57
  • @deutschZuid: such a complement to this answer would better be a comment so that visitors won't miss it. Earning reputations is fun, though :)
    – Stan
    Jul 24, 2013 at 9:41
-1

In your giving sentence, it means is (be)

but as a chinese ,this verb is hardly use in communicating or writing, this is a verb which uses in ancient chinese

Improve this answer
1
  • Disagree. 乃 is still very much in use in writing today.
    – 杨以轩
    Jul 24, 2013 at 4:59
-1

My suggestion is that you'd better have a Chinese dictionary when you learn it, for example <新华字典>. All the usual meaning will be presented with example. The 乃 in your example has the same meaning in the following example:吾乃常山赵子龙也from （三国演义）.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.