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nāpi

na

ind.

1. na (ind): no; not; neither; nor
2. na (ind): (adds a question mark) surely?; does one not?
3. na (prefix): not
4. na (masc): (gram) negative prefix na
5. nāpi (sandhi): nor even; nor just

Built from

• na — prefix · not, no
  Plain negation without further prefix. Cognates: Latin ne, Greek ne-, English no.
• api — root · even, also, just
  Emphatic particle; the concrete sense is 'all the way to' (reaching all the way), hence 'even', 'also'. Used to strengthen a negative or positive claim across coordinate clauses.

Analysis. na + api (sandhi: final a of na assimilates before initial a of api, yielding ā). Meaning: negation reinforced by the particle api (which adds emphasis or universality), used in coordinated negative clauses to mean 'and not even' or 'nor just'.

Etymology. na is the plain negative particle (cognates: Latin ne, Greek ne-, English no); api is an emphatic particle meaning 'even', 'also', or 'just' (from abb. √ap 'to reach, attain', hence 'all the way to'). Together nāpi creates a stronger negation across coordinate clauses in narrative or argumentation.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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