(mìng) — life; fate, destiny; order, command

Definition

命 is a short, formal noun covering 'life', 'fate', or 'order/command' (as in 命令). For 'fate' it overlaps with 命运 but sounds literary; 缘分 is about people-bound fate, not a noun you swap in freely.

noun
lifefatedestinyordercommand

Examples

  • Rén de mìng zhǐ yǒu yí cì.
    A person only has one life.
  • Wǒ bù xiāng xìn mìng, wǒ zhī xiāng xìn zì jǐ.
    I don't believe in fate; I only believe in myself.
  • Tā jiē dào le shàng jí de mìng lìng.
    He received an order from his superiors.

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