昧 mèi dark
dark; hidden; obscure
怎么记住“昧”: 日 sun + 未 not yet = dark. The sun is not yet up when the campers leave the tent, and the forest path ahead is still dark.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
昧 = 日 sun + 未 not yet
- 日 sun meaning
- 未 not yet sound
The sun is not yet up when the campers leave the tent, and the forest path ahead is still dark.
How it came to be
The sun gives the meaning and the sign for not yet gives the sound.
用法
- Dark/obscured, hence morally or perceptually unclear: 愚昧 (yúmèi) benighted/ignorant, 暧昧 (àimèi) ambiguous (esp. romantically).
- 冒昧 (màomèi) is a politeness word: 恕我冒昧 (shù wǒ màomèi) 'pardon my presumption' before an imposition.