How to Write 盲 (máng) — Meaning “blind”

Imagine a blind person who has 'died' (亡) to the world because they cannot see, and their eye (目) is covered. The shape of 亡 looks like a blind person's cane or an eye with a dark patch over it.

Pay attention to the top radical 目: it should be narrow and slightly compressed, not as wide as the standalone character 目. The bottom part 亡 must be centered under 目, and its final stroke (a curved line) should not extend too far left or right.

While 盲 means 'blind' (目 + 亡), 盯 (dīng) means 'to stare' and uses 目 with 丁 (nail), implying a fixed gaze. 盱 (xū) means 'to stare in anger' and uses 目 with 于 (at). The key difference is the bottom component: 亡 for loss, 丁 for a nail, 于 for direction.

盲 is common in words like 盲人 (blind person) and 盲目 (blindly, aimlessly). In Chinese culture, the phrase 盲人摸象 (blind men touching an elephant) is a famous proverb warning against taking a partial view of things. It is an HSK 6 character, used in formal or medical contexts.

Common words containing 盲 include: 盲人 (máng rén) — blind person; 盲目 (máng mù) — blind / aimless; 色盲 (sè máng) — color blindness.