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Strokes of genius 闷
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How would you feel if your heart got stuck in a door? Describing this specific situation, the character “闷” mēn/mèn basically means “stuffy” and “depressed.” Actually, “闷” mēn/mèn belongs to picto-phonetic characters, and the radical “门” mén (door) here also plays an important role to indicate the pronunciation.
As you have probably noticed, “闷” can be pronounced in two different tones for various meanings. It did make me a bit “郁闷” yùmèn (depressed, uncomfortable), when I was trying to create a clear outline just now.
First, when “闷” mēn is pronounced in the first tone, it can be “stuffy, lacking air” or “speechless, silent.” Here come the examples:
1. Stuffy, lacking air
黄梅天又潮湿又闷热。
Huángméitiān yòu cháoshī yòu mēnrè.
It is humid, hot and stuffy in the plum rain season.
2. Speechless, silent
他闷头回邮件，好像没听到同事们的嬉笑。
Tā mēntóu huí yóujiàn, hǎoxiàng méi tīng dào tóngshìmen de xīxiào.
He was quietly concentrating on replying to the email and seemed not to have heard his colleagues laughing and playing.
中国人叫不爱说话的人“闷葫芦”，谁也不知道他们心里在想什么。
Zhōngguórén jiào búái shuōhuà de rén "mēnhúlu", shéi yě bù zhī dào tāmen xīn li zài xiǎng shénme.
The Chinese call those of few words ¡°stuffy gourds.¡± Nobody knows what they are thinking about.
Second, “闷mèn” in the fourth tone is for “depressed, in low spirits” or “stifling, boring.” For instance:
1. Depressed, in low spirits
别生闷气，不开心就说出来。
Bié shēng mènqì, bù kāixīn jiù shuō chūlai.
Don’t sulk. Speak out, if you are unhappy.
2. Stifling, boring
说了那么多，希望你不会觉得太闷。
Shuō le nàme duō, xīwàng nǐ bú huì juéde tài mèn.
I said so much. I hope it was not too boring for you.
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