萌发 (méng fā) — to sprout, to bud (of plants); (of ideas, feeli…

Definition

Literary verb for a bud or idea 'sprouting' into being. 与萌芽 nearly interchangeable (萌芽 is the more common HSK choice); 抽 covers the plant sense only.

verb

to sproutto bud (of plants)(of ideas, feelings) to ariseto emerge

，萌发。
Chūn tiān yí dào, zhǒng zi jiù kāi shǐ méng fā.
As soon as spring comes, the seeds begin to sprout.
萌发。
Zhè ge jì huà zài tā xīn zhōng méng fā le.
This plan sprouted in his mind.
，萌发。
Kàn dào hái zi de jìn bù, tā xīn lǐ méng fā le xīn de xī wàng.
Seeing her child's progress, new hope sprouted in her heart.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

发fāgrow/emit

The 萌 and 发 senses both point to breaking out or growing, together meaning to sprout or arise.

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.

艹明萌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

明

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艹 shows a plant, and the bottom 明 gives the sound for 萌.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Appears in