also: みょうきょう · めいけい
noun
polished mirror; clear mirror
Literally a mirror that is polished and clear; often used metaphorically for clarity of mind or insight. The word is somewhat literary and may appear in set phrases or titles.
明鏡のように曇りのない心を持ちたい。
I want to have a mind as clear as a polished mirror.
この書は「明鏡」と題されている。
This book is titled 'The Clear Mirror'.
Alternate reading; less common than めいきょう.
鏡 is the common word for 'mirror'; 明鏡 is a more literary or figurative term emphasizing clarity and polish.
From 明 (bright, clear) + 鏡 (mirror). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound is conventionally associated with the idea of a perfectly clear mirror.