闷

悶

mēn, mèn

心 + 门

HSK 3.0Level 7

Frequency#1830

Definitions

mēn (adjective,verb) stuffy; to smother

mèn (adjective) depressed; melancholy

mèn (adjective) sealed; airtight

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 门 represents the sound. Simplified form of 悶.

Semantic: 心 Phonetic: 门

About

The character 闷, historically written as 悶, combines the semantic component 門 (door) with 心 (heart) to create a conceptual representation of a heart confined behind a door, originally implying emotional suppression or sullenness. This etymological construction informed its early meanings related to melancholy and stifling atmospheres. Over time, the semantic range of 闷 broadened to include states of boredom, depression, and physical stuffiness, while its simplified form 门 for the door component did not alter this core conceptual basis.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

今天天气很闷。

Jīntiān tiānqì hěn mēn.

The weather is very muggy today.

我在屋里觉得闷。

Wǒ zài wū lǐ juéde mēn.

I feel stuffy inside the room.

这间教室很沉闷。

Zhè jiān jiàoshì hěn chénmèn.

This classroom is very dreary.

这个新闻让我很闷。

Zhège xīnwén ràng wǒ hěn mèn.

This piece of news made me feel depressed.

他总闷着头干活。

Tā zǒng mēn zhe tóu gànhuó.

He always keeps his head down and works.

闷热的夏天很难受。

Mēnrè de xiàtiān hěn nánshòu.

The sweltering summer is very uncomfortable.

我闷在家里好几天了。

Wǒ mēn zài jiā lǐ hǎo jǐ tiān le.

I've been cooped up at home for several days.

他心里闷着好多话没说。

Tā xīnli mèn zhe hǎo duō huà méi shuō.

He's bottling up a lot of words he hasn't said.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 心

Component: 门

闷