亡

亾

wáng

亠 + 𠃊

Definitions

wáng (verb) to die; to perish

wáng (verb) to lose; to be lost

wáng (adjective) gone; deceased

Etymology

Depicts the tip of a knife blade (刀). Similar in origin to 方. Based on the original meaning "tip of a blade", now written as 芒. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

Originally, 亡 was a pictograph of the tip of a knife blade, closely related to 方. Its original meaning "blade tip" is now written 芒. The character was phonetically borrowed to write words meaning to flee, vanish, or perish, hence its modern senses of death and destruction. It often appears as a phonetic component in related characters like 忘 (forget) and 盲 (blind).

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他非常害怕死亡。

Tā fēicháng hàipà sǐwáng.

He is very afraid of death.

死亡是不可避免的。

Sǐwáng shì bùkě bìmiǎn de.

Death is unavoidable.

恐龙已经灭亡了。

Kǒnglóng yǐjīng mièwáng le.

Dinosaurs have already perished.

罪犯正在逃亡中。

Zuìfàn zhèngzài táowáng zhōng.

The criminal is fleeing.

战争导致国家灭亡。

Zhànzhēng dǎozhì guójiā mièwáng.

War leads to the perishing of a country.

亡国的痛苦难以形容。

Wángguó de tòngkǔ nányǐ xíngróng.

The pain of losing a country is indescribable.

传说这座古堡里有亡魂。

Chuánshuō zhè zuò gǔbǎo lǐ yǒu wánghún.

Legend says there are ghosts in this old castle.

在历史的长河中，许多文明都灭亡了。

Zài lìshǐ de chánghé zhōng, xǔduō wénmíng dōu mièwáng le.

In the long river of history, many civilizations have perished.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 亠

Component: 𠃊

Example Words