茫然 (máng rán) — blankly, vacantly; at a loss; confused | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used for the inner feeling of being at a loss and blank-faced (not knowing what to do), as in 一脸茫然. 愣 is a blunter 'stunned/dumbstruck' look; 糊涂 describes muddled thinking over time, not a moment.

adjective

blanklyvacantlyat a lossconfused

Examples

茫然，。
Tā máng rán dì zhàn zài lù kǒu, bù zhī dào gāi wǎng nǎ zǒu.
He stood blankly at the intersection, not knowing which way to go.
，茫然。
Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā gǎn dào shí fēn máng rán.
Hearing this news, she felt very lost.
茫然。
Miàn shì guān de wèn tí ràng tā yì liǎn máng rán.
The interviewer's question left him with a confused look on his face.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

茫 supplies the sense of blankness, while 然 marks the resulting state.

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.

艹汒茫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

汒

汒máng茫máng

Same sound today

茫 has 艹 (grass) and 汒, which gives the sound máng.

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

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

肰

肰rán然rán

Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Emotions & Feelings

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