Definitions

(noun) grave; tomb

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 墓, meaning "grave" or "tomb", derives its structure from an evocative conceptual combination, integrating the component 莫 above 土 (earth). While 莫 originally depicted the sun disappearing in grass, symbolizing dusk or disappearance, its function here is primarily phonetic, though it likely carries a nuanced connotation of the setting sun or an ending, thematically appropriate for a final resting place. The lower component 土 directly indicates earth, grounding the character's meaning in the physical act of burial. Over time, its meaning stabilized specifically to denote a constructed burial mound or a marked grave site, moving from a more general sense of a burial ground to a more defined funerary structure, a semantic refinement that has remained consistent in its use.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他去地看望亲人。

Tā qù mùdì kànwàng qīnrén.

He went to the graveyard to visit his family.

清明节我们去扫

Qīngmíng jié wǒmen qù sǎo mù.

We go to sweep the tombs on Tomb-Sweeping Day.

这座古的历史很悠久。

Zhè zuò gǔ mù de lìshǐ hěn yōujiǔ.

This ancient tomb has a very long history.

秦始皇陵是世界文化遗产。

Qín Shǐhuáng língmù shì shìjiè wénhuà yíchǎn.

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is a World Cultural Heritage site.

考古学家正在发掘一座汉

Kǎogǔ xuéjiā zhèngzài fājué yī zuò Hàn mù.

Archaeologists are excavating a Han Dynasty tomb.

烈士前摆满了鲜花。

Lièshì mù qián bǎi mǎn le xiānhuā.

The martyr's tomb is covered with fresh flowers.

园里安详而肃穆。

Mùyuán lǐ ānxiáng ér sùmù.

The cemetery is tranquil and solemn.

这些石像生是皇陵道的守卫。

Zhèxiē shíxiàngshēng shì huánglíng mùdào de shǒuwèi.

These stone statues are the guards of the imperial tomb passageway.