乃至

nǎizhì

conjunction HSK 7 #26,370

Meanings

1 and even; going so far as to
2 up to and including

Characters

to be; so; therefore (classical)

to reach; up to

A literary conjunction meaning 'reaching even to...' Used to extend a statement to a more extreme or surprising degree.

Examples

这个消息影响了全国乃至全世界。

Zhège xiāoxi yǐngxiǎng le quánguó nǎizhì quán shìjiè.

This news affected the whole country and even the entire world.

他的作品影响了一代乃至几代人。

Tā de zuòpǐn yǐngxiǎng le yí dài nǎizhì jǐ dài rén.

His works influenced one generation or even several generations.

Tips

grammar

乃至 always escalates — what comes after it is bigger, more extreme, or more surprising than what came before. Think of it as 'and even...' or 'all the way to...' It's more literary than 甚至 (shènzhì) and carries less surprise.

Stroke Order

乃 nǎi

至 zhì