[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Plants # 芒 máng chinese silvergrass; awn ## Components [[艹 (cǎo)]] [[亡 wáng]] ## Meaning Today, the character "芒 (máng)" is less commonly used in modern Chinese compared to its historical usage. However, it still retains its original meanings to some extent. In contemporary usage, "芒" might occasionally be encountered in literature or poetic contexts to evoke imagery related to sharpness, radiance, or the natural world. For instance, it could be used metaphorically to describe someone's keen insight or sharp wit, akin to saying they have their "antennae" up, ready to detect subtleties. Additionally, it might appear in botanical or agricultural discussions, referring to the awns or bristles on the husks of certain grains or grasses. Overall, while less prevalent in everyday language, the character "芒" continues to hold its traditional connotations, albeit in more specialized or poetic contexts. ## History The character "芒 (máng)" combines both the meaning and the sound components. In the small seal script, it consists of "州" and "亡 (wú)." The component "州" represents plants, resembling the fine thorns on them, while "亡" contributes to the sound. After the clerical script transformation, it evolved into the character "芒" in regular script. Originally, "芒" referred to the needle-like hairs on the outer shell of seeds of certain grass species, such as "麦苦 (màikǔ)." It later extended to mean thorns or sharp points in general, as seen in Chen Chong's work "清盗源硫 (qīng dào yuán liú)" from the Han Dynasty. This usage implies caution and insight. Moreover, it metaphorically referred to the tip and edge of knives or swords, as in phrases like "不露锋芒 (bù lù fēng máng)" and "锋芒毕露 (fēng máng bì lù)." It also metaphorically represents radiance or intense light spreading in all directions, as in Liu Yuxi's poem "柳河东集序 (liǔ hé dōng jí xù)" from the Tang Dynasty. In terms of its structure, "州 (zhōu)" symbolizes grass, depicting the tip of a plant, while "亡 (wáng)" adds a sense of loss, suggesting the subtle presence of the plant's thorns. This combination serves to both convey the visual appearance and the sound of "芒," originally denoting the tip of a plant and later extending to refer to its fine thorns. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ? ### Seal Script ![[芒 máng - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[芒 máng - clerical.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[芒 máng - reg.svg]]