昧 means “dark, obscure”

まい · mai

Also: foolish

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くらい, むさぼる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

マイ, バイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

Picture the sun (日) that has not yet (未) risen: the half-dark before dawn. 昧 pairs with 曖 in 曖昧, vague, and lives in 三昧, total absorption, as in 贅沢三昧, giving yourself up to luxury, or a weekend of ゲーム三昧.

Used in 曖昧 (aimai, vague/ambiguous) and 三昧 (zanmai, absorption/indulging in)

More from Hidden & Hazy

• 踪 trail
• 惑 be bewildered
• 密 secret
• 秘 secret
• 紛 mix in
• 隠 hide
• 潜 dive
• 覆 cover
• 披 open
• 虚 empty
• 顕 manifest
• 伏 lie face down

Learn 昧 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.