明
míng · bright / clear💡 How to pronounce
m → like the 'm' in 'moon'. íng → like 'ing' with a rising tone.
📖 The Story
明 means bright or clear — the light that removes confusion. The character combines 'sun' (日) and 'moon' (月) — the light of both sun and moon, making everything visible. In Chinese philosophy, clarity of mind is the goal of self-cultivation.
🎬 In Culture Today
The phrase '明德' (míng dé) means 'clear virtue' — the virtue that shines like a bright light. In Chinese poetry and philosophy, '明' is the quality of seeing clearly — understanding the truth beneath appearances.
📚 Words
📝 Example Sentences
我明白了。
I understand.
明天我们会知道答案。
Tomorrow we will know the answer.