妄图 (wàng tú) — to vainly attempt (with a sense of arrogance or delusion); to try in vain

Definition

妄图 (wàngtú) means to attempt something with arrogant delusion — the actor believes they can succeed but obviously cannot. A formal, written word for futile or presumptuous scheming.

verb
to vainly attempt (with a sense of arrogance or delusion)to try in vain

Examples

  • 妄图。
    Dí rén wàng tú pò huài wǒ men de hé píng shēng huó.
    The enemy vainly attempted to disrupt our peaceful life.
  • 妄图，。
    Tā wàng tú yǎn gài zhēn xiàng, dàn hěn kuài jiù bèi jiē chuān le.
    He vainly attempted to cover up the truth, but was quickly exposed.
  • 妄图，。
    Zhè xiē yáo yán wàng tú hùn xiáo shì tīng, yǐng xiǎng gōng zhòng pàn duàn.
    These rumors vainly attempted to confuse the public and influence their judgment.

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.

妄wàngreckless
图túattempt

妄 means reckless and 图 means attempt, so the sense is to try recklessly.

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng妄wàng
Same sound today

妄 combines 亡, which supplies the sound, with 女, a woman.

Open 妄 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →
Appears in
Will & Intention

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