Writing
乃 (nǎi) — how to say "only then" in Chinese
乃
Only then
adverb
Radicals / Keys
丿
Slash
#4 · piě · 1 stroke
Collocations
事毕乃归
shì bì nǎi guī
return only after the work is finished
Examples
他把事情全部办完之后，乃安心回家。
Only after finishing all his tasks did he return home at ease.
问清情况后，他乃作出决定。
He made a decision only after clarifying the situation.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "only then" in Chinese?
"only then" in Chinese is 乃 (nǎi).
乃 meaning in English
乃 (nǎi) means "Only then".
How is 乃 pronounced?
It is pronounced nǎi (written as nai). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "only then" in Chinese characters?
It is written 乃 and has 2 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK 3.0 level is 乃?
乃 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.
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