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萌芽 (méng yá) — (verb) to sprout; to bud; to germinate (literal or figurative); (noun) bud; germ; seed

Definition

A formal/written word for sprouting or budding, used both literally (plants) and figuratively (ideas). More literary than 发芽; for the figurative sense, it's close to 萌发.

verb
to sproutto budto germinate (literal or figurative)
noun
budgermseed
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，萌芽。
    Chūn tiān yí dào, zhǒng zi jiù kāi shǐ méng yá le.
    As soon as spring arrives, the seeds begin to sprout.
  • 萌芽。
    Tā de chuàng yè xiǎng fǎ zài dà xué shí qī jiù méng yá le.
    His entrepreneurial idea sprouted during college.
  • 萌芽。
    Shù mù de méng yá zài chūn tiān qiāo qiāo chū xiàn.
    The buds of the trees quietly appear in spring.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

萌méngsprout
芽yábud

The 萌 and 芽 senses both concern a young shoot or bud, so 萌芽 means to sprout or a bud.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
明
明míng萌méng
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.

Open 萌 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
牙
牙yá芽yá
Same sound today

芽 has 艹 (grass) on top and 牙 (yá) below, which gives the sound.

Open 芽 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Plants & Flowers

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