Meaning
靡 is a literary character that appears primarily in classical Chinese and formal written contexts. It can mean extravagant or wasteful, but most commonly appears in set phrases and chengyu where it functions as a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'nothing', or describes falling/collapsing.
Usage
This character is rarely used alone in modern spoken Chinese. Native speakers encounter it mainly in classical idioms like 靡不 (mǐ bù, 'none do not'), literary expressions, or formal writing. The pronunciation can also be mǐ in some classical compounds.
Examples
- 01这种发型在年轻人中风靡一时。.This hairstyle was all the rage among young people for a while.
- 02他最近精神萎靡，工作也不积极。, .He's been dispirited lately and not enthusiastic about work either.
Common collocations
- 靡不有初all things have a beginning (classical idiom)
- 风靡一时to be all the rage for a time
- 萎靡不振dispirited and listless
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 非 (not) and 麻 (hemp/scattered), originally depicting scattered or disheveled things, which evolved to mean extravagance, waste, and eventually serving as a negative particle in classical Chinese.