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"Ming" Chinese-English Dictionary

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Chinese Pinyin Translation
明清 míng qīng the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties
南京故宫 南京故宮 nán jīng gù gōng Ming
Chinese Pinyin Translation
明 míng bright / opposite: dark 暗[an4] / (of meaning) clear / to understand / next / public or open / wise / generic term for a sacrifice to the gods syn
名 míng name / noun (part of speech) / place (e.g. among winners) / famous / classifier for people syn
命 mìng life / fate / order or command / to assign a name, title etc syn
聪明 聰明 cōng ming intelligent / clever / bright / acute (of sight and hearing) syn
明朝 míng cháo Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) syn
老友 lǎo yǒu old friend / sb who passed the county level imperial exam (in Ming dynasty) syn
南苑 nán yuàn Nanyuan or "Southern Park", an imperial hunting domain during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, now the site of Nanhaizi Park in the south of Beijing
施琅 shī láng Shi Lang (1621-1696), Chinese admiral who served under the Ming and Qing dynasties
王阳明 王陽明 wáng yáng míng Wang Yangming (1472-1529), Ming dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher, influential in the School of Mind 心學|心学[xin1 xue2]
南京 nán jīng see 南京市[Nan2jing1 Shi4] / Nanjing, capital of the Ming dynasty (1368-1421) and of the Republic of China (1927-1937 and 1946-1949)
明代 míng dài the Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
增生 zēng shēng (medicine) hyperplasia / (abbr. for 增廣生員|增广生员[zeng1guang3 sheng1yuan2]) a scholar studying for the Ming dynasty imperial examinations who did not make the quota for support in the form of a monthly allowance of rice that students who made the quota received
永乐 永樂 yǒng lè Yongle Emperor, reign name of third Ming emperor Zhu Di 朱棣[Zhu1 Di4] (1360-1424), reigned 1403-1424, temple name 明成祖[Ming2 Cheng2 zu3]
朱元璋 zhū yuán zhāng Zhu Yuanzhang, personal name of first Ming dynasty emperor Hongwu 洪武[Hong2 wu3]
侍郎 shì láng (Ming and Qing dynasties) vice-minister of one of the Six Boards / (also an official title in earlier dynasties)
唐伯虎 táng bó hǔ Tang Bohu or Tang Yin 唐寅 (1470-1523), Ming painter and poet, one of Four great southern talents of the Ming 江南四大才子
封神榜 fēng shén bǎng Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc
郑和 鄭和 zhèng hé Zheng He (1371-1433), famous early Ming dynasty admiral and explorer
巡抚 巡撫 xún fǔ inspector-general of province in Ming and Qing times
聪明才智 聰明才智 cōng ming cái zhì intelligence and ability syn
钱庄 錢莊 qián zhuāng old-style money shop (a type of private bank that first appeared in the Ming dynasty, flourished in the Qing, and was phased out after 1949) / (in recent times) informal financial company, often operating at the edges of what is legal syn
潘金莲 潘金蓮 pān jīn lián Pan Jinlian (name lit. Golden Lotus), heroine of Ming dynasty vernacular novel Jinpingmei or the Golden Lotus 金瓶梅
金瓶梅 jīn píng méi Jinpingmei or the Golden Lotus (1617), Ming dynasty vernacular novel, formerly notorious and banned for its sexual content
提督 tí dū the local commander / provincial governor (in Qing and Ming times)
山海关 山海關 shān hǎi guān Shanhai Pass in Hebei, at the eastern terminus of the Ming dynasty Great Wall / Shanhaiguan district of Qinhuangdao city 秦皇島市|秦皇岛市[Qin2 huang2 dao3 shi4], Hebei
明末 míng mò late Ming / first half of the 17th century
崇祯 崇禎 chóng zhēn Chongzhen, reign name of last Ming emperor (1628-1644)
万历 萬曆 wàn lì reign name of Ming emperor (1573-1619)
李自成 lǐ zì chéng Li Zicheng (1605-1645), leader of peasant rebellion at the end of the Ming Dynasty
土司 tǔ sī sliced bread (loanword from "toast") / government-appointed hereditary tribal headman in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties
锦衣卫 錦衣衛 jǐn yī wèi Brocade Uniform Guard, imperial bodyguard and secret police force of the Ming emperors
明报 明報 míng bào Ming Pao newspaper (Hong Kong)
洪武 hóng wǔ Hongwu Emperor, also written Hung-wu Ti, reign name of first Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋[Zhu1 Yuan2 zhang1] (1328-1398), reigned 1386-1398, temple name 明太祖[Ming2 Tai4 zu3]
正德 zhèng dé Zhengde Emperor, reign name of eleventh Ming emperor Zhu Houzhao 朱厚照[Zhu1 Hou4 zhao4] (1491-1521), reigned 1505-1521, temple name 明武宗[Ming2 Wu3 zong1]
直隶 直隸 zhí lì Zhili, a province from Ming times until 1928, roughly corresponding to present-day Hebei
湖广 湖廣 hú guǎng Hubei and Hunan provinces (a Ming dynasty province)
王明 wáng míng Wang Ming (1904-1974), Soviet-trained Chinese communist, Comintern and Soviet stooge and left adventurist in the 1930s, fell out with Mao and moved to Soviet Union from 1956
紫金山 zǐ jīn shān Purple Mountain in suburbs of Nanjing, with Ming tombs and Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum
秦腔 qín qiāng Qinqiang, an opera style popular in northwest China, possibly originating in Ming dynasty folk music / Shaanxi opera syn
李时珍 李時珍 lǐ shí zhēn Li Shizhen (1518-1593), Ming botanist and pharmacologist, author of Compendium of Medical Herbs 本草綱目|本草纲目[Ben3 cao3 Gang1 mu4]
封神演义 封神演義 fēng shén yǎn yì Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc
徐霞客 xú xiá kè Xu Xiake (1587-1641), Ming dynasty travel writer and geographer, author of Xu Xiake's Travel Diaries 徐霞客遊記|徐霞客游记[Xu2 Xia2 ke4 You2 ji4]
绿营 綠營 lǜ yíng Green Standard Army, standing infantry during Qing dynasty, originally formed from Ming and other Chinese army units
明史 míng shǐ History of the Ming Dynasty, twenty fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Zhang Tingyu 張廷玉|张廷玉[Zhang1 Ting2 yu4] in 1739 during the Qing Dynasty, 332 scrolls
刘伯温 劉伯溫 liú bó wēn Liu Bowen (1311-1375), general under the first Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋[Zhu1 Yuan2 zhang1], with a reputation as a military genius, also called Liu Ji 劉基|刘基[Liu2 Ji1]
建文 jiàn wén Jianwen Emperor, reign name of second Ming Emperor Zhu Yunwen 朱允炆[Zhu1 Yun3 wen2] (1377-1402), reigned 1398-1402
天顺 天順 tiān shùn Tianshun Emperor, reign name of eighth Ming Emperor 朱祁鎮|朱祁镇[Zhu1 Qi2 zhen4] (1427-1464), reigned 1457-1464, temple name Yingzong 英宗[Ying1 zong1]
明太祖 míng tài zǔ Ming Taizu, temple name of first Ming emperor Hongwu 洪武[Hong2 wu3]
英宗 yīng zōng Yingzong, temple name of sixth and eighth Ming emperor Zhengtong 正統|正统[Zheng4 tong3]
王建民 wáng jiàn mín Chien-Ming Wang (1980-), Taiwanese starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball
闯王 闖王 chuǎng wáng Chuangwang or Roaming King, adopted name of late Ming peasant rebel leader Li Zicheng 李自成 (1605-1645)
宣德 xuān dé Xuande Emperor, reign name of fifth Ming emperor Zhu Zhanji 朱瞻基[Zhu1 Zhan1 ji1] (1398-1435), reigned 1426-1436, temple name 明宣宗[Ming2 Xuan1 zong1]
张居正 張居正 zhāng jū zhèng Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), Grand Secretary during the Ming dynasty, credited with bringing the dynasty to its apogee
封疆 fēng jiāng border region / regional general acting as governor (in Ming and Qing times)
乡试 鄉試 xiāng shì the triennial provincial imperial exam during the Ming and Qing
唐寅 táng yín Tang Bohu 唐伯虎 or Tang Yin (1470-1523), Ming painter and poet, one of Four great southern talents of the Ming 江南四大才子
唐明皇 táng míng huáng Emperor Ming of Tang (685-762), also known as Emperor Xuanzong of Tang 唐玄宗[Tang2 Xuan2 zong1], reigned 712-756
孝廉 xiào lián xiaolian, two examination subjects in Han, later a single subject in Ming and Qing / successful second degree candidate
词话 詞話 cí huà form of writing novels that comprise lots of poetry in the body of the text, popular in the Ming Dynasty
张献忠 張獻忠 zhāng xiàn zhōng Zhang Xianzhong (1606-1647), leader of a late-Ming peasant revolt
诸生 諸生 zhū shēng Imperial scholar from the Ming Dynasty onwards
桃花扇 táo huā shàn The Peach Blossom Fan, historical play about the last days of the Ming dynasty by Kong Shangren 孔尚任[Kong3 Shang4 ren4]
元史 yuán shǐ History of the Yuan Dynasty, twenty third of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Song Lian 宋濂[Song4 Lian2] in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty, 210 scrolls
顾炎武 顧炎武 gù yán wǔ Gu Yanwu (1613-1682), late Ming and early Qing Confucian philosopher, linguist and historian, played a founding role in phonology of early Chinese, author of Rizhilu or Record of daily study 日知錄|日知录
八股文 bā gǔ wén eight-part essay one had to master to pass the imperial exams in Ming and Qing dynasties syn
建文帝 jiàn wén dì reign name of second Ming emperor, reigned 1398-1402, deposed in 1402
李渔 李漁 lǐ yú Li Yu (1611-c. 1680), late Ming and early Qing writer and dramatist
李贽 李贄 lǐ zhì Li Zhi (1527-1602), late Ming philosopher, historian and writer
明孝陵 míng xiào líng Ming tombs in Nanjing, tomb of founding Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋[Zhu1 Yuan2 zhang1], a World Heritage site
冯梦龙 馮夢龍 féng mèng lóng Feng Menglong (1574-1646), late Ming dynasty novelist writing in colloquial (baihua), author of Stories Old and New 古今小說|古今小说[Gu3 jin1 Xiao3 shuo1]
汤显祖 湯顯祖 tāng xiǎn zǔ Tang Xianzu (1550-1616), Ming poet and dramatist, author of The Peony Pavilion 牡丹亭[Mu3 dan5 Ting2]
关防 關防 guān fáng security measures (esp. border security) / official seal (esp. military seal during Qing and Ming times) syn
贝聿铭 貝聿銘 bèi yù míng Pei Ieoh Ming or I.M. Pei (1917-2019), Chinese-American architect
王夫之 wáng fū zhī Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692), wide-ranging scholar of the Ming-Qing transition
刑名 xíng míng xing-ming, a school of thought of the Warring States period associated with Shen Buhai 申不害[Shen1 Bu4hai4] / the designation for a punishment syn
宋濂 sòng lián Song Lian (1310-1381), Ming dynasty writer, historian and politician
利玛窦 利瑪竇 lì mǎ dòu Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), Jesuit missionary and translator in Ming China
章回小说 章回小說 zhāng huí xiǎo shuō novel in chapters, main format for long novels from the Ming onwards, with each chapter headed by a summary couplet
张岱 張岱 zhāng dài Zhang Dai (1597-c. 1684), late Ming scholar
明十三陵 míng shí sān líng the Ming tombs (mausoleum park of the Ming emperors in Changping district of Beijing)
蟒袍 mǎng páo official robe worn by ministers during the Ming 明 (1368-1644) and Qing 清 (1644-1911) dynasties syn
施明德 shī míng dé Shih Ming-teh (1941-), Taiwanese politician, imprisoned 1962-1977 and 1980-1990 under the Guomindang, subsequently a leader of DPP 民進黨|民进党, in 2006 led protests against Chen Shui-Bian 陳水扁|陈水扁[Chen2 Shui3 bian3]
鸣 鳴 míng to cry (of birds, animals and insects) / to make a sound / to voice (one's gratitude, grievance etc) syn
铭 銘 míng to engrave / inscribed motto
冥 míng dark / deep / stupid / the underworld syn
茗 míng Thea sinensis / young leaves of tea syn
瞑 míng to close (the eyes)
溟 míng to drizzle / sea syn
酩 mǐng used in 酩酊[ming3ding3]
螟 míng boring insect / snout moth's larva (Aphomia gullaris or Plodia interpuncuella or Heliothus armigera etc), major agricultural pest syn
暝 míng dark
眳 míng space between the eyebrows and the eyelashes
蓂 míng lucky place
聪明伶俐 聰明伶俐 cōng ming líng lì clever and quick-witted syn
鄍 míng place name
冰雪聪明 冰雪聰明 bīng xuě cōng ming exceptionally intelligent (idiom)
绝顶聪明 絕頂聰明 jué dǐng cōng ming highly intelligent / brilliant
小聪明 小聰明 xiǎo cōng ming clever-clever / clever in trivial matters / sharp but petty-minded syn
The four tones The four tones of Mandarin Pitch over time: tone 1 high and level (red), tone 2 rising (orange), tone 3 falling then rising (green), tone 4 falling (blue). tone 1 tone 2 tone 3 tone 4 Time Pitch

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