How to Write 勐 (měng) — Meaning “fierce; brave (often used in place names)”

Picture a strong person (力) who is also a fierce wild animal (猛) — think of a "brave lion" using all its strength. The left side 猛 contains 犭 (animal) and 孟 (first), so imagine the "first animal" in a fight using its power (力). This visual combines both parts into a memorable image of raw courage.

Pay attention to the left side 猛: it has 10 strokes total, with the animal radical 犭 written first (3 strokes:撇,弯钩,撇) followed by 孟 (8 strokes). A common mistake is making the right side 力 too small or disconnected — ensure it sits slightly lower than the left and touches the bottom of 猛. Also, the horizontal stroke in 孟 should be straight, not curved.

勐 (měng) uses the radical 力 on the right, while 劵 (juàn) has 刀 (knife) on the right and means "ticket" or "certificate." 劼 (jié) means "careful" or "strict" and features 吉 on the left with 力 on the right, not 猛. Visually, 勐 has a more complex left side (猛) compared to the simpler left parts of 劵 (卷) and 劼 (吉).

勐 is most commonly found in place names in Yunnan province, such as 勐海 (Menghai) and 勐腊 (Mengla), which are counties with large tea-growing areas. It is rarely used as an independent word but appears in the literary term 勐力 (měng lì) meaning "vigorously." Culturally, these place names originate from the Dai language, where 勐 means "town" or "area."

Common words containing 勐 include: 勐海 (měng hǎi) — Menghai (a county in Yunnan); 勐腊 (měng là) — Mengla (a county in Yunnan); 勐力 (měng lì) — vigorously; with great force.