Radical 一

6 strokes

thumb tack (40a) + comb (151a) = and yet 而

This character occasionally means simply “and”, but usually indicates a contrast and so might be translated as “but”, “yet”, or “on the other hand”.

[从而 (103) cóng’ér thus, thereby]

[而后 (150) érhòu after that; and then]

(Using a comb as a musical instrument) he had marked his notes on the comb with thumb tacks, and yet it still sounded awful. / The fairy fled, saying “I’ve remembered an urgent appointment elsewhere!”