弥散 (mí sàn) — to spread or diffuse in all directions

Definition

弥散 describes something that gradually spreads and scatters in all directions (light, scent, smoke) — more literary and directional than the everyday verb 散开.

verb
to spread or diffuse in all directions
Easily confused

Examples

  • 弥散。
    Dēng guāng zài wù zhōng mí sàn kāi lái.
    The light spreads out in the fog.
  • 弥散。
    Huā xiāng zài kōng qì zhōng mí sàn.
    The scent of flowers diffuses in the air.
  • 弥散。
    Yān wù zài fáng jiān lǐ mí sàn.
    The smoke spreads through the room.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

弥míall over
散sànscatter

弥 (all over) + 散 (scatter) means diffuse spreading.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
尔
尔ěr弥mí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 弥 pairs 弓 (bow) as its meaning part with 尔 as its sound part.

Open 弥 →

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

  • 林林líntrees, forest
  • 攴攴pūto knock, to tap

散 combines 林 (trees or forest) and 攴 (to knock or tap), originally showing knocking to clear vegetation, later extended to breaking up or dispersing.

Open 散 →

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