谜语

• Pinyin: mí yǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 谜 = 讠(speech radical) + 迷 (to lose one's way, confuse) — riddle; 语 = 讠(speech radical) + 吾 (I/self, phonetic) — language, words, speech

Meaning

Riddle; puzzle (the verbal game). A deliberately enigmatic description of something, posed as a question for others to guess — a traditional form of wordplay and entertainment.

A specific genre of verbal puzzle where clues are given in poetic or indirect language and the listener must guess the answer. A beloved traditional Chinese pastime, especially during festivals (lantern riddles 灯谜 at Lantern Festival). Also used figuratively: 说话像猜谜语 — to speak in riddles.

Examples

1. 元宵节期间，街上挂满了五彩灯笼，每盏灯笼下都悬着一道待猜的谜语，气氛热闹非凡。 During the Lantern Festival, the streets are filled with colorful lanterns, each with a riddle hanging beneath it for people to guess, creating a lively atmosphere.
2. 她喜欢用谜语的方式向孩子传授知识，寓教于乐，效果远比枯燥的背诵好得多。 She likes teaching children through riddles—learning through play—and it works far better than dull memorization.
3. 他说话总是绕来绕去，像在说谜语，让人听得云里雾里，不知道他究竟想表达什么。 He always talks in circles like he’s speaking in riddles, leaving people completely confused about what he actually means.

Usage Guide

Context: education, festivals, children, culture, games

Tone: playful

Do Say

• 老师在课堂上出了一道关于汉字结构的谜语，既活跃了课堂气氛，又帮助学生加深了对汉字构造原理的理解。(The teacher posed a riddle about Chinese character structure in class, which both enlivened the atmosphere and helped students deepen their understanding of the principles behind Chinese character construction.)
• 中国传统谜语不仅是一种娱乐形式，也是语言智慧的结晶，往往蕴含着深刻的文化意涵与哲学思考。(Traditional Chinese riddles are not only a form of entertainment but also a crystallisation of linguistic wisdom, often containing profound cultural meaning and philosophical reflection.)

Don't Say

• 将'谜语'与'谜团'混用 — 谜语专指供人猜测的文字游戏或谜题，谜团指复杂的未解之谜，两者语境完全不同 (Do not confuse 谜语 with 谜团 — 谜语 specifically refers to a verbal riddle or puzzle for guessing; 谜团 refers to a complex cluster of unsolved mysteries; the contexts are entirely different)

Origin & History

谜 = 讠(speech radical) + 迷 (to confuse/lose one's way) — a verbal puzzle; 语 = 讠(speech radical) + 吾 (I/me, phonetic) — language, words. Together: words crafted to confuse — a riddle.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal