黙 (mò) - Silent & quiet

黙Tone 4

mò ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

黙 · mò

Silent;

quiet;

still;

mute;

to refrain from speaking or making noise.

Silentquietstill

Usage highlights

SilenceSilent readingSilent agreementDefaultTacit understandingWordless

Synonyms

  • 静— quiet, calm
  • 沈黙— silence, muteness

Antonyms

  • 騒— noisy, boisterous
  • 話— to speak, talk

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He remained silent during the meeting (黙っていた).
  • The teacher asked for quiet in the classroom (黙って).
  • She sat quietly reading a book (黙って座って).
  • Please be silent during the exam (試験中は黙っていてください).

Collocations

  • Silence(沈黙)
  • Silent reading(黙読)
  • Silent agreement(黙認)
  • Default(黙示)
  • Tacit understanding(黙契)
  • Wordless(無言黙々)

Idioms

  • Silence is golden(沈黙は金)
  • Silence gives consent(黙諾)
  • Work silently and diligently(黙々と働く)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Japanese culture, silence (黙) is often valued as a form of communication and respect.
  • The character is commonly used in Buddhist contexts referring to silent meditation.
  • In educational settings, 黙 is frequently used in classroom commands for quiet behavior.

FAQ