命根 (mìng gēn) — something absolutely essential to one's life or happiness; lifeblood; a beloved person; darling

Definition

命根 (mìnggēn) literally means 'life-root': something so essential you can't live without it, or a person you cherish above all. Adds an emotional, almost desperate weight that 宝贝 or 心肝 don't quite capture.

noun
something absolutely essential to one's life or happinesslifeblooda beloved persondarling

Examples

  • 命根，。
    Zhè tái diàn nǎo shì tā de mìng gēn, méi yǒu tā jiù bù néng gōng zuò.
    This computer is his lifeblood; without it he can't work.
  • 命根，。
    Nǚ ér shì tā de mìng gēn, tā shén me dōu yuàn yì wèi nǚ ér zuò.
    Her daughter is her darling; she would do anything for her daughter.
  • 命根，。
    Zhè běn shū shì tā de mìng gēn, dào nǎ lǐ dōu dài zhe.
    This book is his lifeblood; he takes it everywhere.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

命mìnglife
根gēnroot

命 is life, and 根 is root, so the word pictures something as the root of life.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn根gēn(r)
Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

Open 根 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.