弥漫 (mí màn) — to pervade, to fill the air (with smoke, fog, s…

Definition

A literary verb meaning a smell, mist, or atmosphere spreads and fills the air. Unlike 充斥, it carries no negative judgment — just describes presence.

verb

to pervadeto fill the air (with smoke, fog, smell, atmosphere, etc.)

弥漫。
Zhěng gè chéng shì mí màn zhe huā xiāng.
The whole city is filled with the fragrance of flowers.
，弥漫。
Zhàn zhēng jié shù hòu, bēi shāng de qì fen réng rán mí màn zài kōng qì zhōng.
After the war ended, a sad atmosphere still pervaded the air.
弥漫。
Qīng chén de hú miàn shàng mí màn zhe yī céng bó wù.
A thin layer of mist fills the lake surface in the early morning.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

The 弥 sense of filling and the 漫 sense of spreading together describe something pervading the air.

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.

弓尔弥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尔

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.

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

氵曼漫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

曼

Same sound today

漫 uses 氵 (water) and 曼 for the sound; 曼 also means “vast, extended,” showing water spread out or overflowing.

Appears in