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, 𰂚, 奣, 𡦀, 𣇵, 𥯋

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: 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

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

The whorl motif on bronzes, seen on dragons, turtles and boars

Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 日 (“sun”) + 月 (“moon”) – the sun just rising and the moon not yet set – dawn (天明 (tiānmíng)). In the oracle bone script it is mostly "daybreak"; a few instances mean "sight" or are a place name.

Three other forms were found in the oracle bone script:

• 朙 < 囧 (“whorl”) + 月. The whorl is a spiral motif on Shang bronzes, often drawn with dragons and also on turtles and boars, and may be linked to sun worship. 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 (míng) < 目 (“eye”) + 月 – attested only in Heji 19411.
• 𤰾 < 田 + 月 – attested only in the Dianbin (典賓) group; probably a corruption of the above forms.

Etymology 1

Of either Proto-Sino-Tibetan origin, compare

• Tibetan མདངས (mdangs, “facial color, appearance, brightness”) (Bodman, 1980), or
• Proto-Sino-Tibetan *brwaŋ (“loud; bright”) (STEDT); 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, Sichuanese Pinyin): min²

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): míng

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): mín / mén

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): мин (min, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ming⁴

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): meang⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): men³

• Gan (Wiktionary): min⁴ / miang⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): mìn / miàng / màng

  (Hailu, HRS): min / miang / mang

  (Meixian, Guangdong): min² / miang²

• Jin (Wiktionary): ming¹ / mi¹
• Northern Min (KCR): mâng / mêng
• Eastern Min (BUC): màng / mìng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ma² / mia² / mie² / ming²
• Southern Min

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

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

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): ming⁵

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): mang⁴
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶men / ²men / ⁴meen / ⁶min / ²min
  • (Jinhua): ²min
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): min²

---

• 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: ming²-ʼrh
    • Yale: míngr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: miengl
    • Palladius: минр (minr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miɤ̯̃ɻ³⁵/
    • Homophones:

      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/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: míng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ²⁴/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: mín / mén
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): min² / men²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mĩ²⁴/, /mə̃²⁴/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: мин (min, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ming⁴
    • Yale: mìhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ming⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: ming⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɪŋ²¹/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: meang⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /məŋ²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: men³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵐben²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: min⁴ / miang⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /min³⁵/, /miaŋ³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: mìn / miàng / màng
    • Hakka Romanization System: min^ˇ / miang^ˇ / mang^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: min² / miang² / mang²
    • Sinological IPA: /min¹¹/, /mi̯aŋ¹¹/, /maŋ¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: min / miang / mang
    • Sinological IPA: /min⁵⁵/, /miaŋ⁵⁵/, /maŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: min² / miang²
    • Sinological IPA: /min¹¹/, /miaŋ¹¹/

Note:

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

• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: ming¹ / mi¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /miŋ¹¹/, /mi¹¹/

Note: mi1 - in 精明.

• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: mâng / mêng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /maŋ³³/, /meiŋ³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: màng / mìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /maŋ⁵³/, /miŋ⁵³/

Note:

• màng - vernacular;
• mìng - literary.

• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Jiangkou, Nanri, Donghai)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ma²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: má
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ma¹³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ma²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ma²⁴/
  • (Putian, Nanri, Donghai)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: mia²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: miá
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mia¹³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: mia²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mia²⁴/
  • (Jiangkou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: mie²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mie¹³/
  • (Putian, Jiangkou, Nanri, Donghai)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ming²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: míng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ¹³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ming²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miŋ²⁴/

Note:

• ma2 - vernacular (e.g. 明膠, 明年);
• mia2/mie2 - vernacular (e.g. 明柴, 清明);
• ming2 - literary (e.g. 明儂).

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

Note:

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

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

• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: ming⁵
  • Sinological IPA: /miŋ²²/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: mang⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /məŋ²¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶men
    • MiniDict: men^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³men
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /mən²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ²men
    • MiniDict: men^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /məŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /məŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦmən²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /mən²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /məŋ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /mən³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /men²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /məŋ³¹³/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ⁴meen
    • MiniDict: men^上
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /mẽ¹¹³/
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶min
    • MiniDict: min^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³min
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /min²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ²min
    • MiniDict: min^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /miŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /miŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦmin²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /min²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /miŋ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /min³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /min²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /miŋ²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /miŋ³¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /miŋ²²/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ²min
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /miŋ³¹³/

Note:

• men/meen - vernacular;
• min - literary.

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

---

• Middle Chinese: mjaeng

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
Baxter	mjaeng
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/mˠiæŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/mᵚiaŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/miaŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/miajŋ/
Li Rong	/miɐŋ/
Wang Li	/mĭɐŋ/
Bernhard 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。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     东方未明，颠倒衣裳。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, 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]

      Tomorrow I shall cross Jingshui(the capital's river); last night I was still in Jingu.

13. (～朝) Ming dynasty
14. a surname, listed as #111 on the Baijiaxing

    明玉珍  ―  Míng Yùzhēn  ―  Ming Yuzhen (late Yuan revolutionary)

15. (～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 明 (MC mjaeng)

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 CE	Western Han 西漢 / 西汉
		Xin 新 (～朝)
		Eastern Han 東漢 / 东汉
Three Kingdoms 三國 / 三国	220 – 280 CE	Wei 魏
		Shu Han 蜀漢 / 蜀汉
		Wu 吳 / 吴
Jin 晉 / 晋 (～朝, ～代)	265 – 420 CE	Western Jin 西晉 / 西晋
		Eastern Jin 東晉 / 东晋
Southern and Northern dynasties 南北朝	420 – 589 CE	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 CE
Tang 唐 (～朝, ～代)	618 – 907 CE
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國 / 五代十国	907 – 960 CE
Liao 遼 / 辽 (～朝, ～代)	907 – 1125 CE
Song 宋 (～朝, ～代)	960 – 1279 CE	Northern Song 北宋
		Southern Song 南宋
Western Xia 西夏	1038 – 1227 CE
Jin 金 (～朝, ～代)	1115 – 1234 CE
Western Liao 西遼 / 西辽	1124 – 1218 CE
Yuan 元 (～朝, ～代)	1271 – 1368 CE
Ming 明 (～朝, ～代)	1368 – 1644 CE
Qing 清 (～朝, ～代)	1636 – 1912 CE
Republic of China 中華民國 / 中华民国	1912 CE – present	Note: In Chinese contexts
People's Republic of China 中華人民共和國 / 中华人民共和国	1949 CE – present	Note: In Chinese contexts

Compounds

• 三明 (sānmíng)
• 三明治 (sānmíngzhì)
• 不明 (bùmíng)
• 五明 (Wǔmíng)
• 休明
• 伯明罕 (Bómínghǎn)
• 修明 (xiūmíng)
• 催明鳥 / 催明鸟
• 光明 (guāngmíng)
• 光明燈 / 光明灯 (guāngmíngdēng)
• 克明 (kèmíng)
• 公明 (gōngmíng)
• 公生明
• 分明 (fēnmíng)
• 判明 (pànmíng)
• 剖明
• 半透明 (bàntòumíng)
• 南明 (Nánmíng)
• 呈明
• 哉生明
• 唐明皇 (Tángmínghuáng)
• 喪明 / 丧明
• 嚮明 / 向明
• 嚴明 / 严明 (yánmíng)
• 因明
• 圓明園 / 圆明园 (Yuánmíngyuán)
• 夜明 (yèmíng)
• 夜明珠 (yèmíngzhū)
• 大明 (Dàmíng)
• 大明星
• 大明曆 / 大明历
• 大明湖 (Dàmínghú)
• 天明 (tiānmíng)
• 失明 (shīmíng)
• 孔明 (Kǒngmíng)
• 孔明燈 / 孔明灯 (kǒngmíngdēng)
• 宣明 (xuānmíng)
• 小明 (Xiǎomíng)
• 小聰明 / 小聪明 (xiǎocōngmíng)
• 平明 (píngmíng)
• 幽明
• 幽明錄 / 幽明录
• 廉明 (liánmíng)
• 復明 / 复明 (fùmíng)
• 打明火
• 投明
• 指明 (zhǐmíng)
• 挑明
• 擺明 / 摆明 (bǎimíng)
• 敘明 / 叙明
• 啟明 / 启明 (qǐmíng)
• 文明 (wénmíng)
• 文明人 (wénmíngrén)
• 文明戲 / 文明戏 (wénmíngxì)
• 文明病
• 方明
• 旦明 (dànmíng)
• 明世 (míngshì)
• 明丟丟 / 明丢丢
• 明主 (míngzhǔ)
• 明了 (míngliǎo)
• 明亮 (míngliàng)
• 明亮亮
• 明亮隔
• 明人 (míngrén)
• 明令 (mínglìng)
• 明仔載 / 明仔载 (bîn-á-chài)
• 明信片 (míngxìnpiàn)
• 明倫堂 / 明伦堂
• 明允
• 明光 (Míngguāng)
• 明光光
• 明光瓦亮
• 明兒 / 明儿
• 明兩 / 明两
• 明公 (mínggōng)
• 明凈 / 明净
• 明分
• 明刑
• 明前
• 明升暗降
• 明君 (míngjūn)
• 明命
• 明哲 (míngzhé)
• 明喻 (míngyù)
• 明器 (míngqì)
• 明四家
• 明堂
• 明夜
• 明天 (míngtiān)
• 明太祖
• 明夷 (míngyí)
• 明妃
• 明如翦
• 明威
• 明媚 (míngmèi)
• 明密
• 明察 (míngchá)
• 明察暗訪 / 明察暗访 (míngchá'ànfǎng)
• 明察秋毫 (míngchá qiūháo)
• 明局
• 明師 / 明师
• 明幌幌
• 明年 (míngnián)
• 明府
• 明度 (míngdù)
• 明後 / 明后
• 明徹 / 明彻
• 明德 (míngdé)
• 明德茶
• 明心 (míngxīn)
• 明志 (míngzhì)
• 明忘八
• 明快 (míngkuài)
• 明恕
• 明悟
• 明慎
• 明慧 (mínghuì)
• 明打明
• 明挖
• 明搶 / 明抢
• 明據 / 明据
• 明擺著/明摆着
• 明教 (míngjiào)
• 明文 (míngwén)
• 明新
• 明斷 / 明断
• 明旌
• 明日 (míngrì)
• 明旦 (míngdàn)
• 明早 (míngzǎo)
• 昆明 (Kūnmíng)
• 明明 (míngmíng)
• 昌明 (chāngmíng)
• 昏明
• 昆明池
• 昆明湖 (Kūnmíng Hú)
• 明星 (míngxīng)
• 明時 / 明时
• 明晃晃 (mínghuǎnghuǎng)
• 明晨
• 明晰 (míngxī)
• 明智 (míngzhì)
• 明暗 (míng'àn)
• 明暢 / 明畅
• 明曉 / 明晓
• 明月 (míngyuè)
• 明月光
• 明朗 (mínglǎng)
• 明朝
• 明杖
• 明板
• 明格列爾 / 明格列尔 (Mínggéliè'ěr)
• 明槍 / 明枪
• 明槍易躲，暗箭難防 / 明枪易躲，暗箭难防 (míngqiāng yì duǒ, ànjiàn nán fáng)
• 明槍暗箭 / 明枪暗箭
• 明樓 / 明楼
• 明正
• 明水 (Míngshuǐ)
• 明決 / 明决
• 明汪汪
• 明河 (mínghé)
• 明法
• 明治 (Míngzhì)
• 明淨 / 明净 (míngjìng)
• 明溝 / 明沟
• 明滅 / 明灭 (míngmiè)
• 明滴溜
• 明潔 / 明洁
• 明澈 (míngchè)
• 明火 (mínghuǒ)
• 明燈 / 明灯 (míngdēng)
• 明燭 / 明烛
• 明燦燦 / 明灿灿
• 明牌
• 明牧
• 明王 (míngwáng)
• 明玕
• 明珠 (míngzhū)
• 明琅
• 明理 (mínglǐ)
• 明瑟
• 明璫 / 明珰
• 明瓦
• 明當 / 明当
• 明發 / 明发
• 明白
• 明白人 (míngbairén)
• 明盛
• 明盤 / 明盘 (míngpán)
• 明目 (míngmù)
• 明目張膽 / 明目张胆 (míngmùzhāngdǎn)
• 明眼
• 明眸 (míngmóu)
• 明眼人 (míngyǎnrén)
• 明瞭 / 明了 (míngliǎo)
• 明知 (míngzhī)
• 明知道
• 明石 (míngshí)
• 明確 / 明确 (míngquè)
• 明碼 / 明码 (míngmǎ)
• 明礬 / 明矾 (míngfán)
• 明示 (míngshì)
• 明祀
• 明神
• 明秀
• 明節 / 明节
• 明範 / 明范
• 明經 / 明经 (míngjīng)
• 明線 / 明线
• 明者
• 明聖 / 明圣
• 明肌雪
• 明膠 / 明胶 (míngjiāo)
• 明臺 / 明台
• 明良
• 明蘆 / 明芦 (Mínglú)
• 明處 / 明处
• 明蝦 / 明虾 (míngxiā)
• 明蟾 (míngchán)
• 明衣
• 明見 / 明见
• 明言 (míngyán)
• 明訓 / 明训
• 明詔 / 明诏
• 明詩 / 明诗
• 明說 / 明说 (míngshuō)
• 明誓
• 明調 / 明调
• 明講 / 明讲 (míngjiǎng)
• 明證 / 明证 (míngzhèng)
• 明豔 / 明艳 (míngyàn)
• 明貺 / 明贶
• 明賢 / 明贤
• 明輪 / 明轮
• 明辨 (míngbiàn)
• 明通 (Míngtōng)
• 明達 / 明达 (míngdá)
• 明道
• 明遠樓 / 明远楼
• 明銳 / 明锐 (míngruì)
• 明鏡 / 明镜 (míngjìng)
• 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 (mínglíng)
• 明靜 / 明静
• 明順 / 明顺
• 明顯 / 明显 (míngxiǎn)
• 明駝 / 明驼
• 明麗 / 明丽 (mínglì)
• 昭明 (zhāomíng)
• 春明
• 晨明 (chénmíng)
• 晦明 (huìmíng)
• 月明 (yuèmíng)
• 朏明
• 朧明 / 胧明
• 未明 (wèimíng)
• 朱明 (zhūmíng)
• 東明 / 东明 (Dōngmíng)
• 松明 (sōngmíng)
• 查明 (chámíng)
• 標明 / 标明 (biāomíng)
• 正明師 / 正明师
• 永明體 / 永明体
• 沒天明 / 没天明
• 決明 / 决明 (juémíng)
• 決明子 / 决明子 (juémíngzǐ)
• 注明 (zhùmíng)
• 洞明
• 流明 (liúmíng)
• 清明 (qīngmíng)
• 淺明 / 浅明
• 清明河 (Qīngmínghé)
• 清明節 / 清明节 (Qīngmíngjié)
• 澄明 (chéngmíng)
• 焦明 (jiāomíng)
• 無明 / 无明 (wúmíng)
• 無明火 / 无明火 (wúmínghuǒ)
• 照明 (zhàomíng)
• 照明彈 / 照明弹 (zhàomíngdàn)
• 申明 (shēnmíng)
• 發明 / 发明 (fāmíng)
• 發明家 / 发明家 (fāmíngjiā)
• 真理越辯越明 / 真理越辩越明 (zhēnlǐ yuèbiànyuèmíng)
• 知人者智，自知者明 (zhī rén zhě zhì, zì zhī zhě míng)
• 石決明 / 石决明 (shíjuémíng)
• 砸明火
• 神明 (shénmíng)
• 稟明 / 禀明
• 空明
• 簡明 / 简明 (jiǎnmíng)
• 精明 (jīngmíng)
• 聖明 / 圣明 (shèngmíng)
• 聰明 / 聪明 (cōngmíng)
• 聲明 / 声明 (shēngmíng)
• 聰明人 / 聪明人 (cōngmíngrén)
• 至明
• 芵明
• 英明 (yīngmíng)
• 薄明
• 虛明 / 虚明
• 表明 (biǎomíng)
• 言明 (yánmíng)
• 註明 / 注明 (zhùmíng)
• 詳明 / 详明 (xiángmíng)
• 說明 / 说明 (shuōmíng)
• 說明文 / 说明文 (shuōmíngwén)
• 說明書 / 说明书 (shuōmíngshū)
• 證明 / 证明 (zhèngmíng)
• 證明書 / 证明书 (zhèngmíngshū)
• 賢明 / 贤明 (xiánmíng)
• 質明 / 质明
• 趙公明 / 赵公明
• 趕明兒 / 赶明儿
• 載明 / 载明
• 辨明 (biànmíng)
• 通明 (tōngmíng)
• 透明 (tòumíng)
• 透明化
• 透明度 (tòumíngdù)
• 透明漆
• 透明體 / 透明体 (tòumíngtǐ)
• 過明路 / 过明路
• 遲明 / 迟明
• 重明 (chóngmíng)
• 野決明 / 野决明
• 長明燈 / 长明灯 (chángmíngdēng)
• 開明 / 开明 (kāimíng)
• 闡明 / 阐明 (chǎnmíng)
• 陽明 / 阳明 (yángmíng)
• 陽明山 / 阳明山
• 靜明園 / 静明园
• 頭明 / 头明
• 顯明 / 显明 (xiǎnmíng)
• 餘明 / 余明
• 馬明王 / 马明王
• 驗明 / 验明
• 高明 (gāomíng)
• 鬼聰明 / 鬼聪明
• 鮮明 / 鲜明 (xiānmíng)
• 鷦明 / 鹪明 (jiāomíng)
• 黃明 / 黄明
• 黃明膠 / 黄明胶
• 黎明 (límíng)
• 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)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 明 – see 樠 (“elm; part of a pine tree branch with large amounts of resin; etc.”). (This character is a variant form of 樠).

References

• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A01784
• “明”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [The Archives of Licheng District, Putian City], editor (2022), “明”, in 《莆仙方言文读字汇》 [A Character Collection of Literary Readings of the Puxian Topolect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 159.

Japanese

Kanji

明

(Second grade 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 mjaeng).

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 mjaeng).

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

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).

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.

【清さや】4 [adverb] brightly, clearly, vividly [adverb] cleanly, freshly, purely [adverb] rustlingly [proper noun] a female given name

(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

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 明 (MC mjaeng).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 며ᇰ (Yale: myeng) in Gugeupbangeonhae (救急方諺解 / 구급방언해), 1466.

Hanja

明 (eumhun 밝을 명 (balgeul myeong))

1. hanja form^? of 명 (“bright”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 명동 (明洞, myeongdong)
• 명일 (明日, myeong'il)
• 명백 (明白, myeongbaek)
• 명군 (明君, myeonggun)
• 언명 (言明, eonmyeong)
• 문명 (文明, munmyeong)

Kunigami

Kanji

明

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: はか゚い (hangai, 明か゚い)

Miyako

Kanji

明

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: あかーㇲ゙ (akādz, 明かーㇲ゙)

Okinawan

Kanji

明

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• On (unclassified): 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)

Vietnamese

Han character

明: Hán Việt readings: minh (眉(mi)兵(binh)切(thiết))
明: Nôm readings: mừng, minh, mầng, miêng, mênh

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

Compounds

Derived terms

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

Yaeyama

Kanji

明

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: あかりぃ (akarï, 明かりぃ)

Yonaguni

Kanji

明

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

• Kun: あがい (agai, 明がい)