那

nà · HSK 1

that

那 = right side 阝(city) + 冄 phonetic; means 'that' over there

Originally referred to a place name in ancient China, with 阝(city radical) on the right. Over time it shifted to the demonstrative 'that', pointing to something distant — contrast with 这 (this).

那 — 邑 radical 阝(right) + 冄 phonetic
Originally referred to a place name in ancient China, with the right-side 阝 (city/region radical) indicating a settlement and 冄 providing the sound. Over time it lost its geographic meaning and was borrowed as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'those'.

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