晦 (huì) - dark & obscure

晦Tone 4

huì ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

晦 · huì

dark;

obscure;

gloomy;

night;

to conceal;

unlucky;

refers to the last day of a lunar month

darkobscuregloomy

Usage highlights

obscure and hard to understandgloomy and darklast day of lunar monthconceal one's brillianceobscure languagegloomy weather

Synonyms

  • 暗— dark; dim
  • 昏— dusk; dim; confused
  • 冥— dark; obscure

Antonyms

  • 明— bright; clear
  • 显— obvious; apparent
  • 亮— bright; light

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The meaning is obscure and hard to understand (晦涩难懂).
  • He spoke in ambiguous terms (晦暗不明).
  • The last day of the lunar month(晦日)
  • The weather is gloomy and overcast (天气晦暗).

Collocations

  • obscure and hard to understand(晦涩)
  • gloomy and dark(晦暗)
  • last day of lunar month(晦日)
  • conceal one's brilliance(韬光养晦)
  • obscure language(晦言)
  • gloomy weather(晦冥)

Idioms

  • Conceal one's capacities and bide one's time(韬光养晦)
  • Wind and rain darken the sky(风雨晦冥)
  • Obscure and difficult to understand(艰深晦涩)
  • Hidden virtue and concealed achievements(晦迹韬光)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese calendar, 晦 refers to the last day of a lunar month when the moon is invisible.
  • The character carries connotations of concealment and obscurity, often used metaphorically for difficult-to-understand concepts.
  • In naming, it's generally avoided due to its negative connotations of darkness and obscurity.

FAQ