渺 (miǎo) - Vast & boundless

渺Tone 3

miǎo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

渺 · miǎo

Vast;

boundless;

distant and indistinct;

tiny;

insignificant;

describes something extremely small or barely visible.

Vastboundlessdistant and indistinct

Usage highlights

Vast and indistinctTiny and insignificantVast expanseDim and distantVast and boundlessTiny particle

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The vast ocean stretches to the horizon (渺茫的海洋).
  • His chances of success are slim (希望渺茫).
  • We searched for the tiny island (渺小的岛屿).
  • A distant, indistinct figure appeared (人影渺渺).

Collocations

  • Vast and indistinct(渺茫)
  • Tiny and insignificant(渺小)
  • Vast expanse(渺渺)
  • Dim and distant(渺远)
  • Vast and boundless(渺无边际)
  • Tiny particle(渺尘)

Idioms

  • Vast and boundless(烟波浩渺)
  • Extremely remote possibility(希望渺茫)
  • Tiny and insignificant(渺不足道)
  • Vast and indistinct(虚无飘渺)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry and philosophy to describe the vastness of nature or the universe.
  • Frequently appears in Buddhist and Daoist texts to convey the insignificance of human existence compared to the cosmos.
  • Commonly used to express uncertainty or remoteness of possibilities in modern contexts.

FAQ