冥
dark
Readings
On'yomi
- メイ
- ミョウ
Kun'yomi
- くら.い
Meaning
冥 centers on deep, profound darkness: the absence of light, often with a sense of obscurity or the hidden. It describes literal darkness as well as the metaphorical darkness of the unknown or the underworld.
Most common words using 冥
20 of 39- 冥福めいふく
happiness in the next world; heavenly bliss; repose of one's soul
- 冥府めいふ
realm of the dead; the other world; underworld
- 冥界めいかい
hades; realm of the dead
- 冥王星めいおうせい
Pluto (dwarf planet)
- 冥土めいど
Hades; the underworld; the other world; realm of the dead
- 冥利みょうり
providence; luck; favor; favour; advantage
- 冥加みょうが
divine protection; divine blessing; providence
- ご冥福をお祈りしますごめいふくをおいのりします
may your soul rest in peace; I pray for your happiness in the afterlife
- 冥々めいめい
dark; invisible
- 冥々のうちめいめいのうち
unawares; before one is aware
- 冥き途くらきみち
Hades; underworld; realm of the dead; other world
- 冥利に尽きるみょうりにつきる
to feel blessed to be in one's position; to be thankful for one's good fortune
- 冥加に余るみょうがにあまる
to receive too many blessings; to be excessively favoured; to be too good for
- 冥加金みょうがきん
monetary offering (to a temple or shrine)
- 冥助みょうじょ
divine protection; divine blessing; providence
- 冥土の土産めいどのみやげ
pleasant memory to take to the afterlife; good memory; something that makes one feel one can die in peace
- 冥境めいきょう
shades of the dead
- 冥暗めいあん
gloom; shade
- 冥漠めいばく
dim and distant
- 冥王めいおう
Hades (god)
Study
Etymology
冥 originally depicted a covered space with a sun (日) inside, suggesting darkness or obscurity. The lower part 六 may have been a phonetic or semantic addition. The character conveys the idea of being shrouded or hidden from light.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 冖 is a cover, and below it are 日 (sun) and 六 (six). Imagine a thick cover thrown over the sun, plunging everything into six layers of darkness. 冥 is that deep, dark obscurity.
Reading mnemonic
For メイ, picture a dark, moonless May night: May -> メイ, and the darkness is so thick you cannot see your hand in front of your face.