奈

• Interrogative/Modal: "How," "why," or "what." Often carries a modal charge of helplessness, frustration, or lament rather than a neutral request for information.
• Verbal: To bear, stand, or endure a situation or burden.
• Nominal (Botanical): A species of wild apple or fruit tree; primarily found in early or botanical texts.

• [奈] … [何] Construction: Frequently appears as [奈] + [Object] + [何], meaning "What can [subject] do to/with [object]?" or "How can [subject] deal with [object]?"
• Ellipsis: The interrogative force may remain even if 何 is omitted.
• Conjunction: Functions as "but" or "yet," typically when transitioning toward a contradictory state or a realization of impossibility.

• Contrast with 何: Unlike the more neutral 何, 奈 usually suggests a predicament.
• Verbal vs. Interrogative: There is a fluid boundary between the verbal sense ("cannot endure") and the interrogative sense ("how can one deal with this?").

// Tang-period reading: //nɑ̀i.

• Semantic variant: U+67F0.

• If the syntax does not clearly support an interrogative, test the glyph as a verb of capacity or tolerance.