命

• Pinyin: mìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 命 = 口 (mouth) + 令 (order). Originally meant command, extended to life/fate as something decreed.

Meaning

Life; fate; destiny; to order or command.

Multifaceted word meaning: life (性命, 救命), fate/destiny (命运, 认命), or command (命令). Philosophical concept in Chinese thought about predetermined fate versus human agency. Common phrases: 拼命 (desperately), 要命 (killing/extremely), 算命 (fortune-telling).

Examples

1. 他为了救落水的孩子，差点丢了自己的命。 He nearly lost his own life trying to save a drowning child.
2. 我不信命，我相信努力可以改变一切。 I don't believe in fate — I believe hard work can change everything.
3. 这道菜辣得要命，我实在吃不了。 This dish is unbearably spicy — I really can't eat it.

Usage Guide

Context: philosophy, daily life, emergencies

Tone: varies

Do Say

• 救命啊！(Help! / Save me!)
• 他拼命工作。(He works desperately hard.)

Don't Say

• 过度宿命地使用命 (While 命 can mean fate, modern usage often emphasizes effort over fatalism)

Origin & History

Originally showed a mouth (口) giving orders, combined with decree/fate meaning. Extended to life itself as something ordained.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal