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冥 (míng) — (bound form) netherworld; underworld; (bound form) dark; obscure; deep; abstruse; (bound form) dull; stupid

Definition

A literary bound form: in 冥界/冥想 it means 'netherworld' or 'deep/dark' (of thought); in 冥顽 it means 'dull/obstinate'. Never used alone — it always combines with another character.

bound form
netherworldunderworlddarkobscuredeepabstrusedullstupid

Examples

  • 冥。
    míng Jiè shì sǐ rén qù de dì fāng.
    The underworld is where the dead go.
  • 。
    Tā měi tiān huā yì xiǎo shí míng xiǎng.
    He spends an hour every day in meditation.
  • 。
    Tā zhè ge rén míng wán bù líng.
    This person is stubborn and dull.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 冖冖mìcloth cover
  • 日日rìsun
  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands

Originally, 冥 was made from 冖 (cloth cover), 日 (sun), and 廾 (two hands) to show darkness; the 廾 part later changed.

Appears in
Mythology & Folklore

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