Learn a Chinese Character - 漠

1. Character Basics

Radical: 氵 (water radical, simplified form of 水, representing water or liquid-related concepts)

Stroke Count: 13 strokes

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: mò (Fourth tone)

3. Meaning

Desert; wilderness; vast and empty; indifferent; unconcerned; aloof; apathetic; unaffected; uninvolved; detached; unfeeling; callous; cold; cool; distant; remote; far away; bleak; barren; desolate; empty; vacant; void; nothingness; oblivion

4. Common Words

• 沙漠 (shā mò) - Desert; sandy wilderness; barren land with little vegetation
• 漠视 (mò shì) - Ignore; disregard; treat with indifference; pay no attention to
• 淡漠 (dàn mò) - Indifferent; apathetic; unconcerned; cool; distant
• 漠不关心 (mò bù guān xīn) - Completely indifferent; not care at all; show no concern for
• 漠北 (mò běi) - Northern desert region; historical term referring to the northern desert areas of China
• 漠河 (mò hé) - Mohe River; a city in Heilongjiang Province, China, known as the northernmost city in China
• 漠然 (mò rán) - Indifferently; unfeelingly; apathetically; with a cold expression
• 广漠 (guǎng mò) - Vast and desolate; extensive desert; boundless wilderness

5. Grammar & Usage

The character "漠" (mò) primarily functions as a noun meaning "desert" or "wilderness" in modern Chinese. It can also be used as an adjective or adverb to describe a state of indifference or detachment. When combined with other characters, it forms various words related to deserts or emotional distance.

• Noun Usage: Used to refer to physical deserts or vast, empty spaces. Example: "撒哈拉沙漠是世界上最大的沙漠。" (Sā hā lā shā mò shì shì jiè shàng zuì dà de shā mò.) - The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world.
• Adjective Usage: Describes someone or something as indifferent or unconcerned. Example: "他对别人的困难表现得很冷漠。" (Tā duì bié rén de kùn nan biǎo xiàn de hěn lěng mò.) - He showed great indifference to other people's difficulties.
• Adverbial Usage: Modifies verbs to indicate an indifferent manner. Example: "她漠然地看着这一切。" (Tā mò rán de kàn zhe zhè yī qiè.) - She looked at all this indifferently.
• Compound Words: Frequently forms compound words with specific meanings. Example: "漠不关心" (mò bù guān xīn) - Completely indifferent; not care at all.
• Idiomatic Expressions: Used in idioms to convey abstract concepts of distance or emptiness. Example: "漠然置之" (mò rán zhì zhī) - To treat with indifference; to brush aside; to ignore completely.

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese culture, the character "漠" (mò) carries significant geographical and cultural connotations. Geographically, it is closely associated with the vast desert regions in northern and western China, such as the Gobi Desert and the Taklamakan Desert, which have played important roles in Chinese history, acting as both barriers and trade routes.

Culturally, "漠" often symbolizes vastness, solitude, and the harshness of nature in Chinese literature. Poets and writers have used desert imagery to evoke feelings of loneliness, contemplation, and the transience of human existence. For example, the famous Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei wrote, "大漠孤烟直，长河落日圆" (Dà mò gū yān zhí, cháng hé luò rì yuán) - "In the vast desert, a single column of smoke rises straight; over the long river, the setting sun hangs round." This line vividly portrays the majestic yet desolate beauty of the desert landscape.

Historically, the desert regions were important parts of the Silk Road, facilitating cultural exchange between China and Central Asia. The character "漠" also appears in historical texts referring to frontier regions and the challenges of living in harsh environments. These references highlight the Chinese cultural value of resilience and adaptation to different environments.

In modern Chinese culture, "漠" continues to be used in both its literal sense (referring to deserts) and metaphorical sense (describing emotional distance or indifference). The idiom "漠不关心" (mò bù guān xīn) - "completely indifferent" - is commonly used in everyday language to criticize a lack of empathy or concern for others.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "漠" (mò) has 13 strokes and is composed of the radical "氵" (water radical) on the left and "莫" (mò) on the right. Its primary meaning is "desert" or "wilderness", but it also conveys a sense of indifference or detachment.

• Structure Analysis: The left part "氵" (water radical) combined with "莫" (which originally meant "dusk") creates a character that can be visualized as "a place where water is as scarce as light at dusk" - a desert.
• Sound Association: The pronunciation "mò" is the same as its component "莫", making it easy to remember based on sound.
• Meaning Connection: From its literal meaning of "desert" (a vast, empty place), it evolved to mean "indifferent" (emotionally empty or distant).
• Character Components: Break it down into familiar parts: "氵" (water) + "莫" (no/not) = a place where there is no water - a desert.
• Memory Phrase: "漠是无水莫之地，冷漠无情由此起" (Mò shì wú shuǐ mò zhī dì, lěng mò wú qíng yóu cǐ qǐ) - "漠 is a place with no water, from which cold indifference arises".