谜 (mí) — riddle; mystery
Definition
谜 (mí) is the base noun for 'riddle' or 'mystery,' used both literally (a puzzle to guess, 谜语 is the full 'riddle' word) and figuratively (an unsolved mystery, 谜团). Pairs with 底 in 谜底, the revealed answer.
noun
riddlemystery
Measure word · 个
Examples
- 谜，？Zhè ge mí hěn yǒu yì si, nǐ néng cāi dào dá àn ma?This riddle is very interesting; can you guess the answer?
- 谜，。Tā de guò qù shì yí gè mí, méi rén zhī dào zhēn xiàng.His past is a mystery; no one knows the truth.
- 谜，。Tā chū de nà ge mí, wǒ huā le yì zhěng tiān cái jiě kāi.The riddle she posed took me a whole day to solve.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 謎; 谜 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 謎 is made from 言 (speech) and 迷, which gives the sound and means 'to be lost'; the simplified 谜 is a later abbreviation.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.