About
The character "明", denoting brightness or clarity, derives from an ideographic construction that combines the pictograms for "日" (sun) and "月" (moon) to evoke the essential idea of light emanating from these celestial bodies, a structural etymology reflecting the foundational concept of illumination in the natural world. Its core meaning of radiance gradually expanded over time to encompass mental clarity and comprehension, as seen in derived terms such as "明白" (to understand) and "明天" (the bright day, i.e., tomorrow), demonstrating a semantic shift from purely visual brightness to abstract applications involving intelligence and futurity. While the traditional form of the character has maintained this composite arrangement without significant graphical change, its continued use underscores the enduring symbolic linkage between the sun and moon as sources of light, even as its connotations broadened to include aspects of visibility, understanding, and subsequent time periods.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
明天是周一。
我明白你的意思。
这个房间很明亮。
请明确你的目标。
他发明了新机器。
我们需要更明确的计划。
明天如果天气晴朗，我们就去公园。
科学家们正在研究如何利用太阳能来发明更环保的能源。