莫

mò

旲 + 艹

Definitions

mò (adverb) do not; there is none who

mò (adverb) not to

Etymology

Depicts the sun (日) shining through vegetation (茻). Based on the original meaning "sunset", now written as 暮. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

莫 originally depicted the sun (日) shining through dense vegetation (茻), a scene that evoked sunset. In the modern character, the vegetation has simplified into 艹 above and 大 below the sun. Over time, the character was borrowed for its sound to serve as a negative pronoun and adverb meaning "none", "nothing", or "do not". To preserve the original sense of dusk, the character 暮 was later created by adding a second sun (日) at the bottom.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 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 Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Wu (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

莫要在这里大声喧哗。

Mò yào zài zhèlǐ dàshēng xuānhuá.

Do not make loud noises here.

他脸上露出了莫名的笑容。

Tā liǎn shàng lù chūle mòmíng de xiàoróng.

An inexplicable smile appeared on his face.

这对我而言是莫大的荣幸。

Zhè duì wǒ ér yán shì mòdà de róngxìng.

This is a great honor for me.

最大的快乐莫过于家人的陪伴。

Zuìdà de kuàilè mò guò yú jiārén de péibàn.

The greatest happiness is nothing more than the companionship of family.

他迟迟未归，莫非是遇到了麻烦？

Tā chíchí wèi guī, mòfēi shì yù dàole máfan?

He hasn't returned yet, could it be that he encountered trouble?

你切莫忘记我们之间的约定。

Nǐ qiè mò wàngjì wǒmen zhī jiān de yuēdìng.

You must not forget the agreement between us.

他此话一出，众人皆是莫敢出声。

Tā cǐ huà yī chū, zhòngrén jiē shì mò gǎn chūshēng.

As soon as he said this, everyone did not dare to make a sound.

莫斯科的冬天寒冷而漫长。

Mòsīkē de dōngtiān hánlěng ér màncháng.

The winters in Moscow are cold and long.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 旲

Example Words