Definitions

mèi (adjective) dark; dim; obscure
mèi (verb) to conceal; to hide

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "昧" structurally integrates the semantic component "日" for sun with "未", which phonetically suggests incompletion, thereby forming a conceptual whole that originally signified darkness or obscurity as if daylight were absent or not yet arrived. Its early meanings centered on physical dimness and lack of illumination, but over time these connotations expanded to encompass metaphorical shades of ignorance, concealment, and moral or intellectual haziness. This semantic shift from concrete to abstract is reflected in its role within modern compounds, where it conveys notions of ambiguity or unclear thinking, while its graphical composition has remained consistently unchanged across centuries.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他的行为很愚

Tā de xíngwéi hěn yúmèi.

His behavior is very foolish.

他们的关系有点暧

Tāmen de guānxi yǒudiǎn àimèi.

Their relationship is somewhat ambiguous.

古代社会比较蒙

Gǔdài shèhuì bǐjiào méngmèi.

Ancient society was relatively ignorant.

他从不良心做事。

Tā cóng bù mèi liángxīn zuòshì.

He never goes against his conscience to do things.

着良心说话是不对的。

Mèizhe liángxīn shuōhuà shì bù duì de.

It is wrong to speak against one's conscience.

由于愚,他错过了机会。

Yóuyú yúmèi, tā cuòguòle jīhuì.

Due to ignorance, he missed the opportunity.

虽然他知道真相,但他还是心地否认了。

Suīrán tā zhīdào zhēnxiàng, dàn tā háishì mèixīn de fǒurènle.

Although he knew the truth, he still denied it against his conscience.

在利益的驱使下,他着良心做出了错误决定。

Zài lìyì de qūshǐ xià, tā mèizhe liángxīn zuò chūle cuòwù juédìng.

Driven by profit, he made a wrong decision against his conscience.