(wàng) — to forget

Definition

忘 is the plain, everyday 'to forget.' It pairs with another verb (忘 + V) to mean 'forgot to do something,' and is more casual than the literary 遗忘.

verb
to forget

Examples

  • Wǒ wàng le dài shū.
    I forgot to bring the book.
  • Tā wàng le chī fàn.
    He forgot to eat.
  • Nǐ men wàng le kàn diàn yǐng.
    You forgot to watch the movie.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
wángwàng
Same sound today

忘 combines 亡, which gives the sound, with 心 (“heart”), showing the sense is about the heart or mind.

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