nu

ind.

(adds a question mark) surely?; didn't?; wouldn't?; which?

Etymology. Pali nu is cognate with Sanskrit nu, Greek nu (the letter), and Latin nū—all from the Indo-European interrogative particle *nu, which survives in English 'now' (originally 'at this point, then') and German 'nun'. The particle's core sense is 'now, at this moment', which extended to introduce questions marking present uncertainty or challenge: 'is it so now?', 'wouldn't it be so?'. In modal contexts it expresses doubt or rhetorical force.

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

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