無む知ち蒙もう昧まい

Meanings

A formal, somewhat literary yojijukugo describing a state of profound ignorance or lack of enlightenment. Often used in critical or self-deprecating contexts.

彼かれは自じ分ぶんの無む知ち蒙もう昧まいを恥はじた。
He was ashamed of his own ignorance.
無む知ち蒙もう昧まいな人ひとほど、自じ分ぶんの考かんがえに固こ執しゅうする。
The more ignorant a person is, the more they cling to their own ideas.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Kanji

無nothingness, none, ain't
知know, wisdom
蒙ignorance, darkness, get
昧dark, foolish
智wisdom, intellect, reason

Related words

無む知ち
無知 is a common word for ignorance, while 無知蒙昧 is a stronger, more formal yojijukugo emphasizing a deep lack of knowledge or enlightenment.
愚ぐ昧まい
愚昧 also means foolishness or ignorance, but 無知蒙昧 combines both 'lack of knowledge' and 'unenlightened' nuances in a single compound.

Built from

無む知ち+蒙もう昧まい

Written forms

無む知ち蒙もう昧まい
Standard kanji form for this yojijukugo.
無む智ち蒙もう昧まい
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used variant with 智 instead of 知.

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 無知 (ignorance) and 蒙昧 (unenlightened, dark). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is conventionally used to express profound ignorance.