渺茫

Chinese

		vague; remote	vague; vast
trad. (渺茫)		渺	茫
simp. #(渺茫)		渺	茫
alternative forms		淼茫 “expansive”

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): miǎománg

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄠˇ ㄇㄤˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): miu⁵ mong⁴
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): biáu-bông

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: miǎománg
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄠˇ ㄇㄤˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: miǎománg
    • Wade–Giles: miao³-mang²
    • Yale: myǎu-máng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: meaumang
    • Palladius: мяоман (mjaoman)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ mɑŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: miu⁵ mong⁴
    • Yale: míuh mòhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: miu⁵ mong⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: miu⁵ mong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /miːu̯¹³ mɔːŋ²¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: biáu-bông
    • Tâi-lô: biáu-bông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: biaw'boong
    • IPA (Xiamen): /biau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /biau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ bɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /biau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bɔŋ¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /biau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ bɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /biau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bɔŋ²³/

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• Middle Chinese: mjiewX mang

Rime
Character	渺	茫
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	明 (4)	明 (4)
Final (韻)	宵 (91)	唐 (101)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	I
Fanqie	亡沼切	莫郎切
Baxter	mjiewX	mang
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/miᴇuX/	/mɑŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/miɛuX/	/mɑŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/mjæuX/	/mɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/miawX/	/maŋ/
Li Rong	/miɛuX/	/mɑŋ/
Wang Li	/mĭɛuX/	/mɑŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/mi̯ɛuX/	/mɑŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	miǎo	máng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	miu5	mong4

Adjective

渺茫

1. vague; indistinct; remote
2. (of hope, future, etc.) uncertain; slim; marginal; tenuous
3. (of water) expansive; vast; boundless

Derived terms

• 前途渺茫
• 渺渺茫茫

 

Related terms

• 迷茫 (mímáng)