黙
silence, become silent, stop speaking, leave as is
Readings
On'yomi
- モク
- ボク
Kun'yomi
- だま.る
- もだ.す
Meaning
黙 centers on the absence of speech: being silent, falling quiet, or stopping speaking. The sense of leaving something as is extends naturally from not interfering or saying anything.
Most common words using 黙
20 of 76- 黙るだまるN3
to be silent; to say nothing
- 沈黙ちんもくN1
silence; being silent; quiet; hush
- 黙示録もくしろく
Revelation (book of the Bible); the Apocalypse
- 暗黙あんもくN1
tacit; unspoken; implicit
- 黙認もくにん
tacit approval; tacit permission; connivance; acquiescence; toleration; overlooking
- 黙秘もくひ
remaining silent; keeping secret
- 寡黙かもく
untalkative; quiet; taciturn; reticent; uncommunicative
- 黙祷もくとう
silent prayer
- 黙りだんまり
silence; keeping silent; taciturnity
- 黙殺もくさつ
ignoring; disregarding; taking no notice of; refusing to comment on; turning a deaf ear to
- 黙示もくし
(tacitly) implying; implication
- 黙想もくそう
meditation; silent contemplation
- 緘黙かんもく
keeping silent
- 黙するもくする
to stop talking; to be silent
- 黙読もくどく
reading silently
- 押し黙るおしだまる
to keep silent
- 黙秘権もくひけん
right to keep silent; right to silence; right to remain silent
- 黙り込むだまりこむN2
to say no more; to sink into silence
- 黙々もくもくN1
silent; mute; dumb
- ヨハネ黙示録ヨハネもくしろく
the Revelation of St. John the Divine (book of the Bible)
Study
Etymology
黙 is the Japanese simplified form of 默. The older form combines 黒 (black, dark) with 犬 (dog), suggesting a dog staying quiet in the dark. The modern form replaces 黒 with 里 and 灬, but the core idea of silence remains.
Meaning mnemonic
A village (里) has a dog (犬) sitting quietly by the fire (灬). The dog is silent, not barking, and the village leaves things as they are.
Reading mnemonic
For モク, imagine a monk (モク) meditating in silence in the village, with the dog resting quietly by the fire. The monk's silence cues モク.