茫 (máng) — (bound form) vast, boundless; (bound form) confused, perplexed

Definition

茫 is a bound morpheme, almost always part of a two-character word. The pair 茫然 means 'blank/confused' (look or expression); 渺茫 means 'vague/slim' (a hope, chance, or future).

bound form
vastboundlessconfusedperplexed
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā tīng le zhè ge xiāo xi, yì liǎn máng rán.
    He looked completely confused after hearing the news.
  • ，。
    Wèi lái de dào lù hěn mí máng, wǒ bù zhī dào gāi zěn me zǒu.
    The future path is very confusing; I don't know how to go.
  • ，。
    Xī wàng hěn miǎo máng, dàn tā méi yǒu fàng qì.
    The hope is very slim, but he didn't give up.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
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.

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