明

明

See also: 日月

明 U+660E, 明 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-660E ← 昍 [U+660D] CJK Unified Ideographs 昏 → [U+660F]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

明 (Kangxi radical 72, 日+4, 8 strokes, cangjie input 日月 (AB), four-corner 6702₀, composition ⿰日月)

Derived characters

• 𢜠, 𣷠, 𦁠, 𨧹, 䳟, 𢜏, 焽, 琞, 㿢, 盟, 曌, 奛, 朚, 萌, 奣, 𡦀, 𣇵, 𥯋

References

• KangXi: page 491, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13805
• Dae Jaweon: page 852, character 18
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1491, character 8
• Unihan data for U+660E

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		明
alternative forms		朙 眀 几 𤰾 𣇱

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 明
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Ancient script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (明) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
莔	*mraːŋ, *qʰɯd
明	*mraŋ
盟	*mraŋ, *mraːŋs
萌	*mreːŋ
奣	*ʔmraːŋʔ

Ideogrammic compound (會意) : 日 (“sun”) + 月 (“moon”) – the sun just rising and the moon not yet set – dawn (天明). Alternatively, it may be interpreted as two bright celestial bodies – bright. This form was already found in the oracle bone script and was prevalent throughout the eras.

Three other forms were found in the oracle bone script:

• 朙 < 囧 (“window”) + 月 – the moon shining through a window – moonlight. This form was also prevalent in the ancient scripts and was considered to be the standard form in Shuowen. See this form's entry for its historical forms.
• 眀 < 目 (“eye”) + 月 – bright eyes. This form was rarely attested, so it is still uncertain whether this form is actually equivalent to 明. It reappeared in the bamboo script of the Qin dynasty, but this was probably a corruption of 朙.
• 𤰾 < 田 + 月 – probably a corruption of the above forms.

Etymology

Of either Proto-Sino-Tibetan origin, compare

• Tibetan མདངས (mdangs, “facial color, appearance, brightness”) (Bodman, 1980), or
• Proto-Sino-Tibetan *brwaŋ (“loud; bright”) (STDET); making it cognate with Burmese ပြင်း (prang:, “acute; violent”), Burmese ပြောင် (praung, “to shine”).

Or from Austroasiatic, cognate with 亮 (OC *raŋs, “bright”) (Schuessler, 2007). For more see 亮 (OC *raŋs).

盟 (OC *mraŋ, *mraːŋs, “covenant”) is a derivative (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): míng (ming²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˊ

  (Chengdu, SP): min²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): ming⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): men³

• Gan (Wiktionary): min⁴ / miang⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): mìn / miàng / màng

  (Meixian, Guangdong): min² / miang²

• Jin (Wiktionary): ming¹
• Min Bei (KCR): mâng / mêng
• Min Dong (BUC): màng / mìng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): bêng / bîn / miâ / mê / mêe / mî / môa / mâ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): mêng⁵ / mê⁵ / mia⁵ / man³ / muan³

• Wu (Wiktionary): men (T3); min (T3)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): min²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: míng
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: míng
    • Wade–Giles: ming²
    • Yale: míng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ming
    • Palladius: мин (min)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (明兒／明儿)
    • Hanyu Pinyin: míngr
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˊㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: míngr
    • Wade–Giles: mingrh²
    • Yale: míngr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: miengl
    • Palladius: минр (minr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miɤ̯̃ɻ³⁵/
    • Homophones:

      [Show/Hide]
      edit edit 名兒／名儿 明兒／明儿

Note: míngr - "tomorrow".

• • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: min²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: min
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /min²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: ming⁴
    • Yale: mìhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: men³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵐben²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: min⁴ / miang⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /min³⁵/, /miaŋ³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: mìn / miàng / màng
    • Hakka Romanization System: minˇ / miangˇ / mangˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: min² / miang² / mang²
    • Sinological IPA: /min¹¹/, /mi̯aŋ¹¹/, /maŋ¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: min² / miang²
    • Sinological IPA: /min¹¹/, /miaŋ¹¹/

Note:

• mìn - literary;
• miàng, màng - vernacular.

• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: ming¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /mĩŋ¹¹/
• Min Bei
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: mâng / mêng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /maŋ³³/, /meiŋ³³/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: màng / mìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /maŋ⁵³/, /miŋ⁵³/

Note:

• màng - vernacular;
• mìng - literary.

• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bêng
    • Tâi-lô: bîng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: beeng
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /biɪŋ²³/
    • IPA (Penang): /beŋ²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /biɪŋ¹³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /biɪŋ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bîn
    • Tâi-lô: bîn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: biin
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /bin²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /bin²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /bin¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: miâ
    • Tâi-lô: miâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: miaa
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /miã¹³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /miã²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /miã²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Tainan, Taichung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mê
    • Tâi-lô: mê
    • Phofsit Daibuun: mee
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /mẽ²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Yilan, Tainan): /mẽ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mêe
    • Tâi-lô: mêe
    • IPA (Penang): /mɛ²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /mɛ̃¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Tainan, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mî
    • Tâi-lô: mî
    • Phofsit Daibuun: mii
    • IPA (Tainan): /mĩ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Taipei, Lukang, Sanxia, Hsinchu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: môa
    • Tâi-lô: muâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: moaa
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Taipei, Lukang): /muã²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mâ
    • Tâi-lô: mâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: maa
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /mã²³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /mã²⁴/

Note:

• bêng - literary;
• bîn, miâ - vernacular;
• mê/mêe/mî/môa/mâ - vernacular (limited, e.g. 明年).

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: mêng⁵ / mê⁵ / mia⁵ / man³ / muan³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: mêng / mê / miâ / màⁿ / muàⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /meŋ⁵⁵/, /me⁵⁵/, /mia⁵⁵/, /mã²¹³/, /mũã²¹³/

Note:

• mêng5 - literary;
• mê5 - vernacular (limited, e.g. 明年);
• man3, muan3 - vernacular (limited, e.g. 明起);
• mia5 - vernacular (limited, e.g. 松柏明 (sêng5 bêh4 mia5, “pine torch”)).

• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wiktionary: men (T3); min (T3)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /məɲ²³/, /mɪɲ²³/

Note:

• 3men - vernacular;
• 3min - literary.

• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: min²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /min¹³/

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• Middle Chinese: /mˠiæŋ/

Rime
Character	明
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	明 (4)
Final (韻)	庚 (111)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	武兵切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/mˠiæŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/mᵚiaŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/miaŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/miajŋ/
Li Rong	/miɐŋ/
Wang Li	/mĭɐŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/mi̯ɐŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	míng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ming4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*mraŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*mraŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	明
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	míng
Middle Chinese	‹ mjæng ›
Old Chinese	/*mraŋ/
English	bright
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	明
Reading #	1/1
No.	9188
Phonetic component	明
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	明
Old Chinese	/*mraŋ/

Definitions

明

1. bright; light; brilliant

   明月  ―  míngyuè  ―  splendid moon

   • 東方未明，顛倒衣裳。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     东方未明，颠倒衣裳。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Dōngfāng wèimíng, diāndǎo yīcháng. [Pinyin]

     Before the east was bright,
     I was putting on my clothes upside down;

2. clear; limpid (transparent; light-conducting; not obscured)

   窗明几淨／窗明几净  ―  chuāngmíngjījìng  ―  a neat place (literally, "the window is clear, the desk is clean")

3. manifest; apparent (easily seen, perceived, or detected)

   明顯／明显  ―  míngxiǎn  ―  obvious

   明瞭／明了  ―  míngliǎo  ―  apparent; simple and clear

   明槍易躲，暗箭難防 [MSC, trad.]
   明枪易躲，暗箭难防 [MSC, simp.]

   míng qiāng yì duǒ, ànjiàn nán fáng [Pinyin]

   It is easy to dodge an open attack, but difficult to defend against a concealed one.

4. vision; sight (the ability to see)

   失明  ―  shīmíng  ―  to be blind; to lose eyesight

   • 明足以察秋毫之末，而不見輿薪。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     明足以察秋毫之末，而不见舆薪。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Míng zúyǐ chá qiūháo zhī mò, ér bùjiàn yúxīn. [Pinyin]

     [M]y eyesight is sharp enough to examine the point of an autumn hair, but I do not see a cart-load of firewood.

5. (of vision) acute; sharp; keen

   耳聰目明／耳聪目明  ―  ěrcōngmùmíng  ―  sharp at hearing and vision

6. (figurative) intellect; knowledge; judgement; discernment; sensibility

   無明／无明  ―  wúmíng  ―  ignorance

7. (figurative) intelligent; sensible; informed; wise

   明智  ―  míngzhì  ―  wise; sensible

   英明  ―  yīngmíng  ―  wise

   • 王之不明，豈足福哉！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     王之不明，岂足福哉！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Wáng zhī bùmíng, qǐ zú fú zāi! [Pinyin]

     How can a monarch's lack of judgement be a blessing? (Literally, "That the monarch is not wise, how can this amount to a blessing?")

8. to understand; to know

   講明／讲明  ―  jiǎngmíng  ―  to explain

   明事理  ―  míngshìlǐ  ―  sensible; capable

   你唔明一定要出聲。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   你唔明一定要出声。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   nei⁵ m⁴ ming⁴ jat¹ ding⁶ jiu³ ceot¹ seng¹. [Jyutping]

   If you don't understand you must speak up.

   我真係唔係好明點解（……） [Cantonese, trad.]
   我真系唔系好明点解（……） [Cantonese, simp.]

   ngo⁵ zan¹ hai⁶ m⁴ hai⁶ hou² ming⁴ dim² gaai² (......) [Jyutping]

   I really don't get why (…)

9. evidently

   明知故問／明知故问  ―  míngzhīgùwèn  ―  to ask intentionally a question one already knows the answer to

10. (literary) to make known

    開宗明義／开宗明义  ―  kāizōngmíngyì  ―  to make clear the main idea at the beginning in one's speech or writing

    • 古之欲明明德於天下者，先治其國。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      古之欲明明德于天下者，先治其国。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

      Gǔ zhī yù míng míngdé yú tiānxià zhě, xiān zhì qí guó. [Pinyin]

      The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states.

11. next; following

    明天  ―  míngtiān  ―  tomorrow

    明年  ―  míngnián  ―  next year or the following year

    今冬明春  ―  jīn dōng míng chūn  ―  this winter and next spring

12. (literary) tomorrow

    • 明當渡京水，昨晚猶金谷。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      明当渡京水，昨晚犹金谷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: 721, Wang Wei, 宿鄭州

      Míng dāng dù Jīngshuǐ, zuówǎn yóu Jīngǔ. [Pinyin]

      (please add an English translation of this example)

13. (～朝) Ming dynasty
14. a surname, listed as #111 on the Baijiaxing
15. (～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 明 (MC mˠiæŋ)

See also

Dynasties (朝代) in Chinese history
Name	Time period	Divisions
Xia 夏 (～朝, ～代)	2070 – 1600 BCE
Shang 商 (～朝, ～代) 殷 (～朝, ～代)	1600 – 1046 BCE
Zhou 周 (～朝, ～代)	1046 – 256 BCE	Western Zhou 西周
		Eastern Zhou 東周／东周	Spring and Autumn period 春秋
			Warring States period 戰國／战国
Qin 秦 (～朝, ～代)	221 – 206 BCE
Han 漢／汉 (～朝, ～代)	206 BCE – 220 C.E.	Western Han 西漢／西汉
		Xin 新 (～朝)
		Eastern Han 東漢／东汉
Three Kingdoms 三國／三国	220 – 280 C.E.	Wei 魏
		Shu Han 蜀漢／蜀汉
		Wu 吳／吴
Jin 晉／晋 (～朝, ～代)	265 – 420 C.E.	Western Jin 西晉／西晋
		Eastern Jin 東晉／东晋
Southern and Northern dynasties 南北朝	420 – 589 C.E.	Northern dynasties 北朝	Northern Wei 北魏
			Western Wei 西魏
			Eastern Wei 東魏／东魏
			Northern Zhou 北周
			Northern Qi 北齊／北齐
		Southern dynasties 南朝	Liu Song 劉宋／刘宋
			Southern Qi 南齊／南齐
			Liang 梁 (～朝, ～代)
			Chen 陳／陈 (～朝, ～代)
Sui 隋 (～朝, ～代)	581 – 618 C.E.
Tang 唐 (～朝, ～代)	618 – 907 C.E.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國／五代十国	907 – 960 C.E.
Liao 遼／辽 (～朝, ～代)	907 – 1125 C.E.
Song 宋 (～朝, ～代)	960 – 1279 C.E.	Northern Song 北宋
		Southern Song 南宋
Western Xia 西夏	1038 – 1227 C.E.
Jin 金 (～朝, ～代)	1115 – 1234 C.E.
Western Liao 西遼／西辽	1124 – 1218 C.E.
Yuan 元 (～朝, ～代)	1271 – 1368 C.E.
Ming 明 (～朝, ～代)	1368 – 1644 C.E.
Qing 清 (～朝, ～代)	1636 – 1912 C.E.
Republic of China 民國／民国	1912 C.E. – present
People's Republic of China 人民共和國／人民共和国	1949 C.E. – present

Compounds

Derived terms from 明

三明 三明治 不明 五明 休明 伯明罕 修明 催明鳥／催明鸟 光明 光明燈／光明灯 克明 公明 公生明 分明 判明 剖明 半透明 南明 呈明 哉生明 唐明皇 啟明／启明 喪明／丧明 嚮明／向明 嚴明／严明 因明 圓明園／圆明园 夜明 夜明珠 大明 大明星 大明曆／大明历 大明湖 天明 失明 孔明 孔明燈／孔明灯 宣明 小明 小聰明／小聪明 平明 幽明 幽明錄／幽明录 廉明 復明／复明 打明火 投明 指明 挑明 擺明／摆明 敘明／叙明 文明 文明人 文明戲／文明戏 文明病 方明 旦明 昆明 昆明池 昆明湖 昌明 明世 明丟丟／明丢丢 明主 明了 明亮 明亮亮 明亮隔 明人 明仔載／明仔载 明令 明信片 明倫堂／明伦堂 明允 明光 明光光 明光瓦亮 明兒／明儿 明兩／明两 明公 明凈／明净 明分 明刑 明前 明升暗降 明君 明命 明哲 明喻 明器 明四家 明堂 明夜 明天 明太祖 明夷 明如翦 明妃 明威 明媚 明密 明察 明察暗訪／明察暗访 明察秋毫 明局 明師／明师 明幌幌 明年 明府 明度 明後／明后 明德 明德茶 明徹／明彻 明心 明志 明忘八

明快 明恕 明悟 明慎 明慧 明打明 明挖 明搶／明抢 明據／明据 明擺著／明摆着 明教 明文 明新 明斷／明断 明旌 明日 明旦 明早 明明 明星 明時／明时 明晃晃 明晨 明晰 明智 明暗 明暢／明畅 明曉／明晓 明月 明月光 明朗 明朝 明杖 明板 明槍／明枪 明槍易躲，暗箭難防／明枪易躲，暗箭难防 明槍暗箭／明枪暗箭 明樓／明楼 明正 明水 明汪汪 明決／明决 明河 明治 明法 明淨／明净 明溝／明沟 明滅／明灭 明滴溜 明潔／明洁 明澈 明火 明燈／明灯 明燦燦／明灿灿 明燭／明烛 明牌 明牧 明王 明玕 明珠 明琅 明理 明瑟 明璫／明珰 明瓦 明當／明当 明發／明发 明白 明白人 明盛 明盤／明盘 明目 明目張膽／明目张胆 明眸 明眼 明眼人 明瞭／明了 明知 明知道 明石 明確／明确 明碼／明码 明礬／明矾 明示 明祀 明神 明秀 明節／明节 明範／明范 明經／明经 明線／明线 明者 明聖／明圣 明肌雪 明膠／明胶 明臺／明台 明良 明蘆／明芦 明處／明处 明蝦／明虾 明蟾 明衣 明見／明见 明言 明訓／明训 明詔／明诏 明詩／明诗 明誓 明說／明说 明調／明调 明講／明讲 明證／明证 明豔／明艳 明貺／明贶 明賢／明贤 明輪／明轮

明辨 明通 明道 明達／明达 明遠樓／明远楼 明銳／明锐 明鏡／明镜 明鐙／明镫 明鑑／明鉴 明鑒／明鉴 明閃閃／明闪闪 明開／明开 明間／明间 明降 明靈／明灵 明靜／明静 明順／明顺 明顯／明显 明駝／明驼 明麗／明丽 昏明 春明 昭明 晦明 晨明 月明 朏明 朧明／胧明 未明 朱明 東明／东明 松明 查明 標明／标明 正明師／正明师 永明體／永明体 決明／决明 決明子／决明子 沒天明／没天明 注明 洞明 流明 淺明／浅明 清明 清明河 清明節／清明节 澄明 無明／无明 無明火／无明火 焦明 照明 照明彈／照明弹 申明 發明／发明 發明家／发明家 真理越辯越明／真理越辩越明 知人者智，自知者明 石決明／石决明 砸明火 神明 稟明／禀明 空明 簡明／简明 精明 聖明／圣明 聰明／聪明 聰明人／聪明人 聲明／声明 芵明 英明 薄明 虛明／虚明 表明 言明 註明／注明 詳明／详明 說明／说明 說明文／说明文 說明書／说明书 證明／证明 證明書／证明书 賢明／贤明 質明／质明 趕明兒／赶明儿 趙公明／赵公明 載明／载明 辨明 透明 透明化 透明度 透明漆 透明體／透明体 通明 過明路／过明路 遲明／迟明 重明 野決明／野决明 長明燈／长明灯 開明／开明 闡明／阐明 陽明／阳明 陽明山／阳明山 靜明園／静明园 頭明／头明 顯明／显明 餘明／余明 馬明王／马明王 驗明／验明 高明 鬼聰明／鬼聪明 鮮明／鲜明 鷦明／鹪明 黃明／黄明 黃明膠／黄明胶 黎明 齊明／齐明

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (明):

• → Japanese: 明(みょう) (myō); 明(めい) (mei); 明(みん) (Min)
• → Korean: 명(明) (Myeong)
• → Vietnamese: minh (明)

References

• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A01784

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Japanese

Kanji

明

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: みょう (myō, Jōyō)^{←みやう (myau, historical)}
• Kan-on: めい (mei, Jōyō)
• Tō-on: みん (min)
• Kun: あかり (akari, 明かり, Jōyō); あかるい (akarui, 明るい, Jōyō); あかるむ (akarumu, 明るむ, Jōyō); あからむ (akaramu, 明らむ, Jōyō); あきらか (akiraka, 明らか, Jōyō); あける (akeru, 明ける, Jōyō); あく (aku, 明く, Jōyō); あくる (akuru, 明くる, Jōyō); あかす (akasu, 明かす, Jōyō)
• Nanori: あ (a); あか (aka); あかり (akari); あかる (akaru); あき (aki); あきら (akira); あけ (ake); あける (akeru); きよし (kiyoshi); くに (kuni); さとし (satoshi); てる (teru); とおる (tōru); とし (toshi); なお (nao); のり (nori); はじめ (hajime); はる (haru); ひろ (hiro); み (mi); みつ (mitsu); よし (yoshi)

Compounds

Compounds

• 明後日(あさって) (asatte)
• 明日(あした) (ashita)
• 明日(あす) (asu)
• 明(あき)信(のぶ) (Akinobu)
• 明明後日(しあさって) (shiasatte)
• 明太(めんたい) (mentai)
• 克(かつ)明(あき) (Katsuaki)
• 松明(たいまつ) (taimatsu)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
明
めい Grade: 2
kan’on

From Middle Chinese 明 (MC mˠiæŋ).

The 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) reading, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.

Affix

明(めい) • (mei) 

1. bright, brightening
2. clarifying, understanding
3. brighten, enlighten
4. open to the world
5. deity, god

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 明(めい)暗(あん) (meian)
• 明(めい)快(かい) (meikai)
• 明(めい)解(かい) (meikai)
• 明(めい)海(かい) (meikai)
• 明(めい)確(かく) (meikaku)
• 明(めい)鏡(きょう) (meikyō)
• 明(めい)君(くん) (meikun)
• 明(めい)言(げん) (meigen)
• 明(めい)察(さつ) (meisatsu)
• 明(めい)示(じ) (meiji)
• 明(めい)治(じ) (Meiji)
• 明(めい)晰(せき) (meiseki)
• 明(めい)白(はく) (meihaku)
• 明(めい)瞭(りょう) (meiryō)
• 解(かい)明(めい) (kaimei)
• 究(きゅう)明(めい) (kyūmei)
• 克(こく)明(めい) (kokumei)
• 松(しょう)明(めい) (shōmei)
• 照(しょう)明(めい) (shōmei)
• 証(しょう)明(めい) (shōmei)
• 晨(しん)明(めい) (shinmei)
• 透(とう)明(めい) (tōmei)
• 薄(はく)明(めい) (hakumei)
• 発(はつ)明(めい) (hatsumei)
• 不(ふ)明(めい) (fumei)
• 文(ぶん)明(めい) (bunmei)

Noun

明(めい) • (mei) 

1. brightness
2. insight
3. eyesight, vision

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
明
みょう Grade: 2
goon

/mʲau/ → /mʲɔː/ → /mʲoː/

From Middle Chinese 明 (MC mˠiæŋ).

The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu sound”) reading, so likely the earlier borrowing from Middle Chinese.

The Buddhist senses are a translation of Sanskrit विद्या (vidyā, “knowledge, wisdom”).[1]

Affix

明(みょう) • (myō) ^{←みやう (myau)?}

1. bright
2. light, lamp
3. clarifying
4. passing to the next in time
5. graceful, respectful
6. (Buddhism) passing of knowledge, scholarship, or study

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 明(みょう)鏡(きょう) (myōkyō)
• 明(みょう)後(ご)日(にち) (myōgonichi)
• 明(みょう)星(じょう) (myōjō)
• 明(みょう)朝(ちょう) (myōchō)
• 明(みょう)日(にち) (myōnichi)
• 明(みょう)明(みょう)後(ご)日(にち) (myōmyōgonichi)
• 灯(とう)明(みょう) (tōmyō)

Noun

明(みょう) • (myō) ^{←みやう (myau)?}

1. (Buddhism) knowledge or wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance and brings to the realization of truth; enlightenment
2. (Buddhism) an esoteric mantra

Adnominal

明(みょう) • (myō) ^{←みやう (myau)?}

1. this coming...

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
明
みん Grade: 2
tōon

From Mandarin 明 (míng).

The 唐音 (tōon, literally “Tang sound”), so likely this reading was borrowed from around the Song dynasty.

Proper noun

明(みん) • (Min) 

1. the Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

Derived terms

• 明(みん)曲(きょく) (minkyoku)
• 明(みん)朝(ちょう) (Minchō)
• 明(みん)律(りつ) (minritsu)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
明
さや Grade: 2
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 明 – see the following entry.

【さや】 [adverb] 明, 清: Alternative spellings 明, 清

(This term, 明, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
明
あき(ら) Grade: 2
nanori

Nominalization of the stem of adjective 明らか (akiraka, “clear, visible”).

Proper noun

明(あきら) • (Akira) 

1. a male given name

References

1. 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

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Korean

Hanja

明 (eumhun 밝을 명 (balgeul myeong))

1. Hanja form^? of 명 (“bright”).

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Kunigami

Kanji

明

• Kun: はか゚い (明か゚い, hakai)

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Miyako

Kanji

明

• Kun: あかーㇲ゙ (明かーㇲ゙, akaaz)

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Okinawan

Kanji

明

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• On: みー (mī)
• Kun: あかい (akai, 明かい)

Compounds

• 清 (しー)明 (みー) (shīmī)
• 聡 (すー)明 (みー) (sūmī)

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Vietnamese

Han character

明: Hán Việt readings: minh (眉(mi)兵(binh)切(thiết))[1][2][3]
明: Nôm readings: mừng[1][2][3][4][5], minh[2][5], mầng[2][5], miêng[3][5], mênh[3]

1. chữ Hán form of minh (“bright; clear”).
2. chữ Hán form of Minh (“given name”).
3. Nôm form of mừng.

Compounds

• 分明 (phân minh)
• 明公 (minh công)
• 明白 (minh bạch)
• 清明 (Thanh minh)
• 高明 (cao minh)

 

References

1. Nguyễn (2014).
2. Nguyễn et al. (2009).
3. Trần (2004).
4. Hồ (1976).
5. Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).

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Yaeyama

Kanji

明

• Kun: あかりぃ (明かりぃ, akarï)

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Yonaguni

Kanji

明

• Kun: あがい (明がい, agai)