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埋没 (mái mò) — to bury, to engulf (physically); to stifle, to overlook, to neglect (talent, potential, work)

Definition

Both senses ('to bury physically' and 'to overlook/stifle talent') are covered: use it for people or work being forgotten, not just literal burial — broader than 忽略 (which ignores intentionally) and more abstract than 埋 (which is physical).

verb
to buryto engulf (physically)to stifleto overlookto neglect (talent, potential, work)

Examples

  • 埋没。
    Zhè chǎng shā chén bào mái mò le zhěng piàn nóng tián.
    This sandstorm buried the entire farmland.
  • 埋没。
    Gōng sī bù yīng dāng mái mò yǒu cái huá de yuán gōng.
    The company should not stifle talented employees.
  • 埋没。
    Tā de yán jiū chéng guǒ bèi mái mò le duō nián.
    His research results were overlooked for many years.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

埋máibury
没méisubmerge

埋 “bury” and 没 “submerge” combine to mean cover and hide.

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cǎoplant
Sound part声符shēngfú
貍
貍lí埋mái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An earlier form paired 艹 (plant) with 貍 (lí) for sound. The form 埋 later shows earth with a sound part.

Open 埋 →

Most 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 沒; 没 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠬛
𠬛𠬛沒mò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 沒 pairs 水 (water) with 𠬛 as a sound part; this note is about 沒, not the simplified 没.

Open 没 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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