萌 (méng) — (bound form) to sprout, to germinate; a bud or early stage
Definition
Bound form meaning 'to sprout, to bud' — it is not used alone and must pair with a verb (萌发, 萌生) or noun (萌芽). The figurative sense ('a budding idea, feelings beginning to grow') is more common than the literal plant sense.
bound form
to sproutto germinatea bud or early stage
Examples
- ，。Chūn tiān dào le, xiǎo cǎo kāi shǐ méng fā.Spring has arrived, and the grass is starting to sprout.
- 。Tā xīn zhōng méng shēng le chuàng yè de niàn tou.The idea of starting a business sprouted in his mind.
- ，。Gōng sī hái chǔ zài méng yá jiē duàn, xū yào xiǎo xīn jīng yíng.The company is still in its budding stage and needs careful management.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
明
明míng萌méng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The top 艹 shows a plant, and the bottom 明 gives the sound for 萌.
Appears in
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