蒙

懞/濛/矇

méng, mēng, měng

冡 + 艹

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 7

Frequency#1039

Definitions

méng (verb) to cover; to conceal

mēng (verb) to deceive; to cheat

mēng (adjective) dazed; stunned

méng (adjective) ignorant; uninformed

měng (noun) Mongol; Mongolia

méng (noun) mist; drizzle

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 冡 represents the sound. Originally the name of a plant, later meanings coincide with the original meaning of 冡 (to cover).

Semantic: 艹 Phonetic: 冡

About

The character "蒙" is structured with the grass radical "艹" positioned above the component "冡", a configuration that originally conveyed the idea of covering, akin to foliage obscuring the ground. Etymologically, this notion of physical covering extended to metaphorical senses of obscuring or hiding, which naturally evolved to encompass associated meanings such as ignorance or deception, where clarity is withheld. Over time, the character's semantic range broadened to include the sense of receiving or incurring, as demonstrated in compound words like "蒙受" which denotes experiencing or suffering something. The traditional form "蒙" retains this structural arrangement, with the grass radical continuing to imply concepts related to overlay and the component "冡" contributing to its phonetic and semantic identity in modern usage.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze 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

蒙上眼睛玩捉迷藏很有趣。

Méng shàng yǎnjīng wán zhuōmícáng hěn yǒuqù.

Playing blind man's bluff with eyes covered is very fun.

启蒙教育对孩子很重要。

Qǐméng jiàoyù duì háizi hěn zhòngyào.

Enlightenment education is very important for children.

浓雾蒙住了远处的群山。

Nóng wù méngzhù le yuǎnchù de qún shān.

Thick fog shrouded the distant mountains.

他试图用谎言蒙混过关。

Tā shìtú yòng huǎngyán ménghùn guòguān.

He tried to get away with it using lies.

承蒙您的关照，非常感谢。

Chéngméng nín de guānzhào, fēicháng gǎnxiè.

I'm very grateful for your kind attention and care.

这段历史被尘封的岁月所蒙蔽。

Zhè duàn lìshǐ bèi chénfēng de suìyuè suǒ méngbì.

This period of history was obscured by the dust of time.

不要被事物的表面现象所蒙惑。

Bùyào bèi shìwù de biǎomiàn xiànxiàng suǒ ménghuò.

Don't be deceived by the superficial appearance of things.

在众多质疑声中，他内心蒙上了一层阴影。

Zài zhòngduō zhìyí shēng zhōng, tā nèixīn méng shàng le yī céng yīnyǐng.

Amidst numerous doubts, a shadow fell over his heart.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 冡

蒙