About
The character 命 is an ideogrammatic compound combining the mouth radical 口 (kǒu) with the component 令 (lìng), meaning "command". This structure visually represents an authoritative decree being spoken. Its earliest sense referred specifically to an official order or mandate. From the ancient philosophical view that life itself was a mandate from heaven, the meaning expanded to encompass destiny, fate, and one's lifespan. In modern usage, it primarily means life or a living existence.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
生命是最宝贵的。
他的命运发生了改变。
我们必须服从命令。
这条命是他救回来的。
遇到危险时要大声喊救命。
他相信这是命中注定的。
那场革命改变了国家的命运。
完成这个使命，是他毕生的追求。