interrogative or exclamatory final particle

Original meaning: 

exhale, shout

Depicts wind rustling through a tree branch (). Based on the original meaning "exhale, shout", now written as . The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
◎ iconic component

  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts airflow from wind.

丂 iconic component

  Iconic component

kǎo

  

axe handle

Depicts a tree branch.

Evolution

乎 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
乎 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
乎 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
乎 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
乎 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

interrogative or exclamatory final particle; (classical particle similar to |[yú]) in; at; from; because; than; (classical final particle similar to |[ma], [ba], [ne], expressing question, doubt or astonishment)

Most common words with 乎
Freq.
Word
Meaning

几乎

almost

似乎

apparently

不在乎

not to care

在乎

to care about

at

Component uses

Meaning component in 1 character (0 verified)

Sound component in 4 characters (1 verified)