盲区 (máng qū) — blind spot, blind area (a zone hidden from view or detection); (figurative) blind spot, area of ignorance or missed understanding

Definition

Literally a 'blind area' — a zone hidden from view or detection (e.g. car mirrors, radar), and by extension a gap in knowledge or understanding. The figurative sense is the one most often used at HSK 7.

noun
blind spotblind area (a zone hidden from view or detection)(figurative) blind spot, area of ignorance or missed understanding
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 盲区。
    Kāi chē shí yào zhù yì hòu shì jìng de máng qū.
    When driving, pay attention to the blind spots of the rearview mirrors.
  • 盲区。
    Léi dá de máng qū kě néng dǎo zhì fēi jī shī lián.
    Radar blind areas can cause aircraft to lose contact.
  • 盲区。
    Tā duì zhè ge lǐng yù de zhī shi cún zài máng qū.
    He has a blind spot in his knowledge of this field.

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.

盲mángblind
区qūarea

盲 'blind' and 区 'area' combine to mean a blind area or blind spot.

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng盲máng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盲 is made from 目, meaning “eye”, plus 亡, which gives the sound. The eye part relates to the meaning of blindness.

Open 盲 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 區; 区 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 區 is made from 匸 and 品; the simplified 区 is a shorthand.

Open 区 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.