黾 (mǐn) - An ancient character depicting a frog or toad & diligent, hard-working

黾Tone 3

mǐn ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 黾

妙慕

黾 · mǐn

An ancient character depicting a frog or toad;

diligent, hard-working;

used as a phonetic component in many characters.

An ancient character depicting a frog or toaddiligent, hard-workingused as a phonetic component in many characters.

Usage highlights

Diligent effortFrogToadStrive earnestlyWork hard

Synonyms

  • 勉— to exert oneself; to strive
  • 勤— diligent; industrious

Antonyms

  • 惰— lazy; indolent
  • 怠— idle; negligent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The character 黾 originally depicted a frog (蛙).
  • He worked diligently (黾勉).
  • This character appears in many compound characters (e.g., 绳, 蝇).

Collocations

  • Diligent effort(黾勉)
  • Frog(蛙; original meaning)
  • Toad(蟾蜍; original meaning)
  • Strive earnestly(黾勉从事)
  • Work hard(黾勉工作)

Idioms

  • Strive earnestly and diligently(黾勉从事)
  • Work hard without complaint(黾勉同心)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally a pictograph of a frog or toad in oracle bone script.
  • Later borrowed to represent the concept of diligence and earnest effort.
  • Now primarily used as a radical and phonetic component in other characters.

FAQ