謎

See also: 谜

謎	U+8B0E, 謎 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8B0E

← 謍
[U+8B0D]

CJK Unified Ideographs

謏 →
[U+8B0F]

Translingual

Han character

謎 (Kangxi radical 149, 言+10, 17 strokes, cangjie input 卜口卜火木 (YRYFD), four-corner 0963₉, composition ⿰訁迷)

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1174, character 31
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 35800
Dae Jaweon: page 1639, character 16
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4001, character 8
Unihan data for U+8B0E

Chinese

trad.		謎
simp.		谜
alternative forms		詸䛧

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 謎
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (米) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
謎	miː, miːs
迷	*miː
米	*miːʔ
眯	*miːʔ
洣	*miːʔ
蔝	*miːʔ
麊	*me
冞	*me
糜	*mral
敉	*meʔ
侎	*meʔ
麋	*mril
蘪	*mril
攗	*mril

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *miː, *miːs): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 迷 (OC *miː, “to be lost”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): mí, mì, mèi (mi², mi⁴, mei⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄇㄧˊ, ㄇㄧˋ, ㄇㄟˋ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): mi²

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): mī

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): mí
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): mai⁴ / mai⁶

(Dongguan, Jyutping++): moi⁴
Gan (Wiktionary): mi⁵
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): mì

(Hailu, HRS): mi

(Meixian, Guangdong): mi²
Jin (Wiktionary): mi³
Northern Min (KCR): mī
Eastern Min (BUC): mê
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): be²
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): bê / bī / bî

(Teochew, Peng'im): mi⁶
Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): mi⁶
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ⁶mi / ⁶me / ²mi / ²me / ⁶mei / ⁶mai / ⁸meq / ⁸miq / ⁶ze / ²mei
- (Jinhua): ²mi
Xiang
(Changsha, Wiktionary): mei² / mei⁵

(Loudi, Wiktionary): minn² / minn⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mí
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mí
  - Wade–Giles: mi²
  - Yale: mí
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mi
  - Palladius: ми (mi)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mír
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧˊㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mír
  - Wade–Giles: mi²-ʼrh
  - Yale: mír
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: miel
  - Palladius: мир (mir)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /miə̯ɻ³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mì
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mì
  - Wade–Giles: mi⁴
  - Yale: mì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mih
  - Palladius: ми (mi)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mìr
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄧˋㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mìr
  - Wade–Giles: mi⁴-ʼrh
  - Yale: mìr
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: miell
  - Palladius: мир (mir)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /miə̯ɻ⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mèi
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄟˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mèi
  - Wade–Giles: mei⁴
  - Yale: mèi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mey
  - Palladius: мэй (mɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /meɪ̯⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mèir
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄟˋㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mèir
  - Wade–Giles: mei⁴-ʼrh
  - Yale: mèir
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mell
  - Palladius: мэйр (mɛjr)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /məɻ⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: mi²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: mi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi²¹/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: mī
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi⁵⁵/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin: mí
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): mi²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi²⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: mai⁴ / mai⁶
  - Yale: màih / maih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: mai⁴ / mai⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: mei⁴ / mei⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɐi̯²¹/, /mɐi̯²²/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++: moi⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɔi²¹/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: mi⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi¹¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: mì
  - Hakka Romanization System: mi^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: mi²
  - Sinological IPA: /mi¹¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: mi
  - Sinological IPA: /mi⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: mi²
  - Sinological IPA: /mi¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: mi³
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /mi⁴⁵/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: mī
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi⁵⁵/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: mê
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɛi²⁴²/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: be²
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: bá̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pe¹³/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: be²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pe²⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, variant in Taiwan, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bê
  - Tâi-lô: bê
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bee
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /be²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /be¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen): /be²⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bī
  - Tâi-lô: bī
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bi
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /bi³³/
- (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bî
  - Tâi-lô: bî
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bii
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /bi²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /bi²⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: mi⁶
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: mĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi³⁵/
Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
  - Jyutping++: mi⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi²²/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai, Deqing, Hangzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁶mi
  - MiniDict: mi^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³mi
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /mi²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Deqing): /mi²²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /mi¹¹³/
- (Northern: Shanghai, Haiyan)
  - Wugniu: ⁶me
  - MiniDict: me^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³me
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /me²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /me²¹³/
- (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Suzhou, Yixing, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Haining, Haiyan, Xiaoshan, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
  - Wugniu: ²mi
  - MiniDict: mi^平
  - Sinological IPA (Jiading): /mi³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /mi³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /mi²²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Yixing): /mi²²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /mi¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /mi³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Haining): /mi¹¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /mi³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Xiaoshan): /mi¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /mi²³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /mi³¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /mi²²/
- (Northern: Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Xiaoshan, Shaoxing)
  - Wugniu: ²me
  - MiniDict: me^平
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /me³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦme²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /me²²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Xiaoshan): /me¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /me²³¹/
- (Northern: Chongming)
  - Wugniu: ⁶mei
  - MiniDict: mei^去
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦmei³¹³/
- (Northern: Changzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁶mai
  - MiniDict: mai^去
  - Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /mai²⁴/
- (Northern: Tongxiang)
  - Wugniu: ⁸meq
  - Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /məʔ²²/
- (Northern: Haining)
  - Wugniu: ⁸miq
  - Sinological IPA (Haining): /miəʔ²²/
- (Northern: Deqing)
  - Wugniu: ⁶ze
  - Sinological IPA (Deqing): /zɛ²²⁴/
- (Northern: Ningbo)
  - Wugniu: ²mei
  - MiniDict: mei^平
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /mɐɪ³¹³/
- (Jinhua)
  - Wugniu: ²mi
  - Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /mi³¹³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: mei² / mei⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /me̞i̯¹³/, /me̞i̯²¹/
- (Loudi)
  - Wiktionary: minn² / minn⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mĩ¹³/, /mĩ¹¹/

Middle Chinese: mejH

Rime
Character	謎
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	明 (4)
Final (韻)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	莫計切
Baxter	mejH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/mei^H/
Pan Wuyun	/mei^H/
Shao Rongfen	/mɛi^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/mɛj^H/
Li Rong	/mei^H/
Wang Li	/miei^H/
Bernhard Karlgren	/miei^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	mì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	mai⁶

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*miː/, /*miːs/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	謎	謎
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	9001	9007
Phonetic component	米	米
Rime group	脂	脂
Rime subdivision	2	2
Corresponding MC rime		謎
Old Chinese	/*miː/	/*miːs/

Definitions

謎

puzzle; riddle
mystery; enigma

Synonyms

(puzzle): 謎語／谜语 (míyǔ)
(mystery): 精微 (jīngwēi), 謎團／谜团 (mítuán), 疑團／疑团 (yítuán)

Compounds

一謎 / 一谜
啞謎 / 哑谜
商謎 / 商谜
囫圇謎 / 囫囵谜
字謎 / 字谜 (zìmí)
打啞謎 / 打哑谜
打燈謎 / 打灯谜
打謎 / 打谜
撒謎語 / 撒谜语
燈謎 / 灯谜 (dēngmí)
猜啞謎 / 猜哑谜
猜謎 / 猜谜
破謎兒 / 破谜儿
解謎 / 解谜 (jiěmí)
詩謎 / 诗谜
謎兒 / 谜儿
謎團 / 谜团 (mítuán)
謎學 / 谜学
謎寐 / 谜寐
謎底 / 谜底 (mídǐ)
謎言謎語 / 谜言谜语
謎語 / 谜语 (míyǔ)
謎面 / 谜面 (mímiàn)
謎頭 / 谜头
謎題 / 谜题 (mítí)

References

Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A03871

Japanese

Kanji

謎

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

Go-on: まい (mai)
Kan-on: べい (bei)
Kan’yō-on: めい (mei)
Kun: なぞ (nazo, 謎, Jōyō)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
謎
なぞ Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 謎 – see the following entry.

【なぞ】	[noun] mystery; puzzle [adverb] alternative form of なんぞ (nan zo)

(This term, 謎, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

References

“謎”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Hanja

謎 (eumhun 수수께끼 미 (susukkekki mi))

hanja form^? of 미 (“riddle”)

Compounds

미제 (謎題, mije, “conundrum”)