How to Write 湣 (mǐn) — Meaning “To commiserate or mourn.”

Imagine a sad scene at dusk (昬) by the water (氵), where people gather to mourn. The water represents tears, and dusk is a time of sadness. This visual connects the components to the meaning of commiserating or mourning.

Write the left radical 氵 first (three dots from top to bottom). Then write the right part: start with 日 (sun, four strokes) on top, then 文 (literature, four strokes) below. A common mistake is to confuse the bottom part with 氏; remember it is 文, not 氏.

湣 has a right side of 日 above 文, while 流 has a right side that looks like 㐬 (a flowing stream) and 浙 has 折 (to break) on the right. Visually, 湣 is taller and square, whereas 流 is more slanted and 浙 has a distinct left-leaning component. In meaning, 湣 is about mourning, but 流 means 'to flow' and 浙 is part of the name for Zhejiang province.

湣 is very rare in modern Chinese, mostly appearing in historical names like 湣王 (King Min of the Qi state during the Warring States period). You might also see it in literary works to mean 'to pity' (哀湣). It is not a common character for daily use, so learners will likely encounter it in classical texts or history books.

Common words containing 湣 include: 湣王 (mǐn wáng) — King Min.; 哀湣 (āi mǐn) — to pity; 湣乱 (mǐn luàn) — Chaos and disorder..