怎 奈

zěn nàidictionary entry

(often used in early vernacular) but alas / however

Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-f03c9b24958ea1ce. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

怎奈怎奈 [zen3 nai4] /(often used in early vernacular) but alas; however/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

怎
zěn
how
奈
nài
used in expressions that convey frustration and futility, such as 無奈|无奈[wú nài] and 莫可奈何|莫可奈何[mò kě nài hé] (literary) / used for its phonetic value in writing foreign words

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.