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模糊 (mó hu) — vague; indistinct; fuzzy; to blur; to obscure

Definition

Used for things seen or heard (images, sounds, memories) that lack clear shape or detail. Use 朦胧 for hazy moonlight/scenes and 隐约 for faint, barely-perceptible traces; 含糊 is about vague *words or attitudes*.

vagueindistinctfuzzyto blurto obscure

Examples

  • 模糊。
    Zhè zhāng zhào piàn hěn mó hu.
    This photo is very blurry.
  • 模糊。
    Wù qì mó hu le chuāng hu.
    Fog blurred the window.
  • 模糊。
    Tā de shēng yīn hěn mó hu.
    His voice is very indistinct.

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.

模mó
糊hú

模糊 describes something unclear or out of focus; 模 and 糊 do not contribute separate meanings here.

Sound-only characters

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mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò模mó
Same sound today

The left part 木 is tree; the right part 莫 gives the sound.

Open 模 →

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
胡
胡hú糊hú
Same sound today

糊 pairs 米 (rice) with 胡 (hú), which gives the sound. The 米 part relates to the meaning.

Open 糊 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts

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