闷 mèn gloomy
gloomy; depressed; melancholy; stuffy
How to remember 闷: 门 door + 心 heart = gloomy. Locked out behind the school door after missing the bus, the boy walks home with a heavy heart, feeling gloomy.
Component breakdown
闷 = 门 door + 心 heart
- 门 door
- 心 heart
Locked out behind the school door after missing the bus, the boy walks home with a heavy heart, feeling gloomy.
How it is used
- Two readings split the meaning: mèn = emotionally low/bored (郁闷 yùmèn gloomy, 烦闷 fánmèn fretful, 闷闷不乐 mènmènbúlè down in the dumps); mēn = physically stuffy/sealed (闷热 mēnrè hot and stuffy, 屋里很闷 wū li hěn mēn the room is airless).
- Same character, so watch the tone - 心里闷 (mèn, feeling stifled inside) vs 天气闷 (mēn, muggy weather).
- Also mēn 'to keep sealed/quiet': 闷头干 (mēntóu gàn) to work away silently, 闷声不响 (mēnshēng-bùxiǎng) to keep mum.