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Kotomora

黙

silence, become silent, stop speaking, leave as is

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes15

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)

Explore all words using 黙 →

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.