wàng
adjective #10,623

Meanings

  1. 1 absurd
  2. 2 rash
  3. 3 presumptuous
  4. 4 reckless

Examples

Bùyào wàng xiàjiélùn.
Don't jump to conclusions rashly.
Tā de wàngxiǎng tài bùqièshíjì le.
His delusions are too unrealistic.

Tips

usage
is mostly used in literary/formal compounds: 妄想 (delusion), (wild talk), 狂妄 (arrogant), 妄自菲薄 (to be unduly humble).

Components

radical
woman; female
Bottom — a kneeling figure with arms folded, the woman radical. Its presence in reflects a now-uncomfortable classical assumption that imprudent or absurd behaviour was a female failing; the radical assignment is grammatical rather than glorifying. Indexes the entry in the women-and-relations family.
phonetic
wáng
to perish; lost (here phonetic)
Top — a person hiding behind a corner, meaning 'lost' or 'perished.' Supplies the sound wáng → wàng with a regular tone shift. The flavour of loss leaks faintly into the meaning: reckless, presumptuous behaviour is conduct that has lost all measure. Same phonetic in to forget, busy.

Stroke Order

wàng