[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Anatomy-and-Living \ #Foot-Actions # 亡 wáng lose; be gone; die ## Components [[匸 (xǐ)]] [[丶 (zhǔ)]] ## Meaning The radical 亡 (wáng) has the following meanings: 1. **Run away**: - 逃亡 (táowáng) - to flee, to escape - 亡命 (wángmìng) - to go into exile 2. **Lose, be gone**: - 失亡 (shīwáng) - to lose, to be missing - 失去 (shīqù) - to lose, to miss 3. **Die**: - 死亡 (sǐwáng) - death - 亡故 (wánggù) - to pass away 4. **Conquer**: - 征服 (zhēngfú) - to conquer, to subjugate - 克服 (kèfú) - to overcome, to conquer ## History Originally a pictographic character, 亡 (wáng) represented the blade edge of a knife in Oracle Bone Script and Bronze Script. Later, it was borrowed to represent the concept of "running away." In its original form, 亡 depicted a broken knife, symbolizing death or destruction. It was also borrowed to mean "without" or "not," and interchangeably with "忘" meaning to forget. Presently, 亡 also signifies loss, as in "亡羊补牢" (wáng yáng bǔ láo), and in words like "逃亡" (táowáng) and "流亡" (liúwáng), it indicates the idea of escape. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[亡 wáng - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[亡 wáng - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[亡 wáng - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[亡 wáng - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[亡 wáng - reg.svg]]