About
耄 is a phono-semantic compound that describes a stage of advanced old age. Its upper component, the radical 老 (old), places it in the semantic category of elderliness and the passage of years. The lower component 毛 (hair) provides the pronunciation "mao". In classical Chinese, 耄 refers to a person in their eighties or nineties. The character appears almost exclusively in formal, literary contexts, especially in the compound 耄耋 (maodie) for octogenarians and nonagenarians, and its meaning stays firmly within advanced age, never drifting toward general concepts of time or decay.
Example Words
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.