漠 (mò) - Desert & vast expanse of barren land

漠Tone 4

mò ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

漠 · mò

Desert;

vast expanse of barren land;

indifferent, unconcerned.

Desertvast expanse of barren landindifferent, unconcerned.

Usage highlights

DesertGobi DesertIndifferentVast desertDesert climateDesert island

Synonyms

  • 沙— sand (component of desert)
  • 荒— barren, desolate
  • 冷— cold (in the sense of indifference)

Antonyms

  • 绿— green, lush
  • 沃— fertile
  • 热— warm, passionate (emotional opposite)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Gobi Desert (戈壁沙漠) is a vast arid region.
  • He showed complete indifference (漠不关心) to the situation.
  • The camel caravan crossed the desert (漠地).
  • Ancient civilizations flourished near desert oases (漠中绿洲).

Collocations

  • Desert(沙漠)
  • Gobi Desert(戈壁漠)
  • Indifferent(漠然)
  • Vast desert(大漠)
  • Desert climate(漠气候)
  • Desert island(漠岛)

Idioms

  • Completely indifferent(漠不关心)
  • Vast and boundless desert(漠漠无垠)
  • Indifferent expression(漠然置之)
  • The desert and the sea(漠海相隔)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with the Silk Road and frontier regions of China.
  • In Chinese poetry, deserts often symbolize loneliness, hardship, and the vastness of nature.
  • The character conveys a sense of emotional detachment or philosophical indifference in certain contexts.

FAQ