奶nǎi

奶

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Simplified · Today

简体

Simplified Chinese

Simplified form (簡體). 奶 (nǎi, "milk") remains unchanged from its traditional counterpart, combining the 女 (woman) radical with 乃 as a phonetic component — a character that visually captures the act of a mother providing nourishment. It forms the foundation of everyday words like 牛奶 (cow's milk),奶油 (butter), and 奶粉 (milk powder), quietly sustaining Chinese breakfast tables and culinary traditions alike.

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Shuowen

奶 (nǎi) is composed of 女 (woman) and 乃, where 乃 in oracle bone script depicted a woman's breast or the act of suckling. The character pictures a woman nursing, giving rise to the meanings "to nurse" and "milk." The 女 radical specifies the gender while 乃 provides both sound and the original pictographic meaning of breastfeeding.

Pinyin

nǎi· HSK 1

奶nǎi

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin