ming

Everyday

1. (Mandarin, pinyin) «Míng» means «bright» or «clear» in Mandarin Chinese and is part of words like «míngtiān» (tomorrow) and «míngzi» (name). tree →
2. (history) The Ming dynasty was a family of emperors who ruled China for nearly three hundred years; it is famous for blue-and-white porcelain and for building much of the Great Wall we see today. tree →
3. (a name) Ming is a Chinese personal name or part of one. tree →
4. (UK slang) «Minging» means disgusting; «ming» is rarely heard on its own. To an English ear it sounds just like it is spelt, «ming». tree →

In the lessons

In Mandarin lessons pupils meet «míngzi» (name: «nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?» = what is your name?) and «míngtiān» (tomorrow). In history lessons «Ming» comes in «Ming dynasty», «Ming vase» and the Great Wall. In stories, «Ming the Merciless» is a villain in an old science-fiction comic.

Examples

• In Mandarin, «míngtiān» means «tomorrow». tree →
• «Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?» means «What is your name?» tree →
• The museum had a blue-and-white Ming vase. tree →
• Much of the Great Wall that tourists visit was built under the Ming emperors. tree →
• My friend Ming sits next to me in maths. tree →
• The Ming dynasty came after the Mongol rulers of China. tree →
• Pinyin «ming» sounds the same as it looks in English. tree →

Note

Not an English word on its own. In pinyin, the mark on the vowel shows the tone; «míng» has a rising tone, and a different tone can mean a different word. As a dynasty or a person's name it needs a capital: «the Ming dynasty», «Ming». «Ming vase» is often used in stories to mean something very precious and easy to break.