木乃伊 (mùnǎiyī): mummy (preserved body)

Measure Word

一具木乃伊 jù

Meanings

1 mummy (preserved body)

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

科学家正在研究这具木乃伊。

Kēxuéjiā zhèngzài yánjiū zhè jù mùnǎiyī.

Scientists are studying this mummy.

HSK 5

博物馆里有一具古埃及的木乃伊。

Bówùguǎn lǐ yǒu yī jù gǔ Āijí de mùnǎiyī.

The museum has an ancient Egyptian mummy.

Tips

history

木乃伊 is a phonetic borrowing, likely from Persian 'mumiya' or Arabic 'mumiya', which entered Chinese centuries ago.

memory

The characters literally read 'wood-then-he' which is meaningless -- a clue that 木乃伊 is a transliteration, not a native Chinese word.

In Pop Culture

木乃伊归来 Mùnǎiyī Guīlái

The Mummy Returns

2001 adventure film

Stroke Order

木 mù

乃 nǎi

伊 yī

Related Words

木头 mùtou HSK 3 #4,315

wood; log; timber / blockhead; dull person (figurative)

木 mù #2,278

wood; tree; timber / numb; wooden (figurative)

木偶 mù'ǒu HSK 7-9 #6,353

puppet / marionette / wooden figure

木屋 mùwū #7,607

log cabin / wooden house

乔伊 qiáoyī #2,360

Joey / Joy

伊 yī #2,294

he; she (literary) / used in transliterations (e.g. Iraq 伊拉克, Iran 伊朗)

木板 mùbǎn HSK 7-9 #9,067

wooden board / plank

乃 nǎi HSK 7-9 #8,612

to be (literary) / thus / so; therefore

麻木 mámù HSK 7-9 #9,641

numb; insensitive (physically) / apathetic; emotionally numb; desensitized

树木 shùmù HSK 7-9 #9,755

trees / tree