Contraction (grammar) - Chinese

Chinese

Contractions exist in Classical Chinese, some of which are used in modern Chinese.

Full Form Transliteration Contraction Transliteration Notes
之乎 tjə ga 諸 tjᴀ In some rarer cases 諸 can also be contraction for 有之乎. 諸 can be used on its own with the meaning of "all, the class of", as in 諸侯 "the feudal lords."
若之何 njᴀ tjə gaj 奈何 najs gaj
於之 ʔa tjə 焉 ʔrjan 於之 is never used; only 焉.
之焉 tjə ʔrjan 旃 tjan Rare.
于之 wja tjə 爰 wjan Rare. The prepositions 於, 于, and 乎 are of different origin, but used interchangeably (except that 乎 can also be used as a final question particle).
如之 nja tjə 然 njan
曰之 wjot tjə 云 wjən
不之 pjə tjə 弗 pjət
毋之 mja tjə 勿 mjət 弗 and 勿 were originally not contractions, but were reanalyzed as contractions in the Warring States Period.
而已 njə ljəʔ 耳 njəʔ
胡不 ga pjə 盍 gap 胡 is a variant of 何.
也乎 ljᴀjʔ ga 與 ljaʔ Also written 歟.
也乎 ljᴀjʔ ga 邪 zjᴀ Also written 耶. Probably a dialectal variant of 與.
不乎 pjə ga 夫 pja 夫 has many other meanings.

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