朦胧 (méng lóng) — dim (of moonlight); indistinct, hazy | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary adjective for soft, hazy dimness (moonlight, eyes, distant views). More atmospheric than 模糊 (which also means 'vague/blurry'); distinct from 阴暗's darker gloom.

adjective

dim (of moonlight)indistincthazy

Examples

朦胧，。
Yuè guāng méng lóng, xiàng mèng yí yàng.
The moonlight is dim, like a dream.
朦胧，。
Tā de yǎn shén hěn méng lóng, hǎo xiàng méi shuì xǐng.
His eyes are hazy, as if he hasn't woken up.
朦胧。
Yuǎn chù de shān zài wù zhōng xiǎn de méng lóng.
The distant mountains appear indistinct in the mist.

Origin

Single-morpheme word

构词法gòucífǎ

联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

'朦' and '胧' carry no meaning alone; together they describe hazy light.

Sound-only characters

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

月蒙朦

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月月yuèmoon

Sound part声符shēngfú

蒙

Same sound today

In 朦, the left 月 is the moon itself, and the right 蒙 gives the sound.

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 朧; 胧 is its simplified writing.

月龍朧

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月月yuèmoon

Sound part声符shēngfú

龍

龍lóng朧

Same sound today

The traditional form 朧 has 月, the moon, on the left and 龍 for the sound; the simplified 胧 is a shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Appearance

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