莽

mǎng

廾 + 𦬫

Definitions

mǎng (noun) thick weeds; dense vegetation

mǎng (adjective) rash; impetuous

Etymology

A dog 犬 surrounded by weeds 茻

About

The character 莽 is formed with the grass radical 艹 above and the component 廾 below; together, these derive from the ancient weed radical 茻, representing dense, tangled vegetation. At the center lies 犬 (dog). Originally, this depicted a dog within overgrown weeds, yielding the meaning of a dense wilderness or jungle. Over time, this image of untamed nature extended metaphorically to reckless, rough, or impulsive human behavior.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个人的性格很莽撞。

Zhège rén de xìnggé hěn mǎngzhuàng.

This person's personality is very rash.

他莽撞地冲进了房间。

Tā mǎngzhuàng de chōngjìnle fángjiān.

He rushed into the room recklessly.

做事不要这么鲁莽。

Zuòshì búyào zhème lǔmǎng.

Don't be so reckless when doing things.

他为自己年轻时的莽撞道歉。

Tā wèi zìjǐ niánqīng shí de mǎngzhuàng dàoqiàn.

He apologized for his recklessness in his youth.

一片莽原在眼前展开。

Yī piàn mǎngyuán zài yǎnqián zhǎnkāi.

A vast wilderness unfolded before his eyes.

历史的莽莽洪流不可阻挡。

Lìshǐ de mǎngmǎng hóngliú bùkě zǔdǎng.

The vast torrent of history is unstoppable.

这篇小说充满草莽英雄的气息。

Zhè piān xiǎoshuō chōngmǎn cǎomǎng yīngxióng de qìxī.

This novel is full of the aura of heroes from the greenwood.

深入这片莽苍的山林需要勇气。

Shēnrù zhè piàn mǎngcāng de shānlín xūyào yǒngqì.

It takes courage to venture deep into this vast and verdant mountain forest.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 廾

莽