茫 meaning and stroke order
Vague, boundless; vast, widespread
How to write 茫, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 9
Meaning of 茫
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- vast, with no clear boundary
- fig. hazy
- indistinct
- unclear
- confused
How 茫 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grass.
艹 gives the meaning and 汒 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 茫
茫 (máng) is grass 艹 on top of 汒, which gives the sound. Picture endless grass stretching over water 氵 until you lose sight of where it ends, and you feel vast and lost.
茫 rarely stands alone. It appears in words like 茫茫 (mángmáng) for something boundless, 茫然 (mángrán) for a blank or lost look, and 迷茫 (mímáng) for feeling confused about direction. Example: 毕业以后我很迷茫。(Bìyè yǐhòu wǒ hěn mímáng.) After graduating I felt lost.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 茫 with 忙 (máng, busy), since both share the 亡 part and the same sound. Remember 茫 has grass on top and water on the left, while 忙 has the heart radical 忄.
Common words with 茫
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
茫 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 茫
How many strokes are in 茫?
茫 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 茫 mean?
茫 (máng) means vague, boundless; vast, widespread. A common word with it is 茫然 (mángrán), meaning "blankly; vacantly".
How do you pronounce 茫?
茫 is pronounced máng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 茫?
The radical of 茫 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 茫 under this radical.
Is 茫 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 茫 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 茫然 and 迷茫?
茫然 (mángrán) describes a blank, at-a-loss state, often in the moment, like a vacant stare. 迷茫 (mímáng) is more about longer-term confusion, such as not knowing what to do with your life.
How is 渺茫 used?
渺茫 (miǎománg) describes hope or a chance that is slim and remote. A common phrase is 希望渺茫 (xīwàng miǎománg), meaning the hope is very slim.