Translation and Meaning of: 無知 - muchi

Etymology and Origin

The Japanese word 「無知」 (muchi) is composed of two kanji: 「無」 and 「知」. The kanji 「無」 (mu) means "without" or "not," and 「知」 (chi) refers to "knowledge" or "wisdom." Therefore, the combination of both characters results in an expression that represents a lack of knowledge or ignorance.

The origin of kanji dates back to ancient China, with the kanji 「無」 deriving from elements that originally meant the absence of something, while 「知」 is related to the ability to perceive or understand. The combination of the two kanji to form 「無知」 reflects a quite clear idea of the absence of wisdom or understanding, a notion that is relevant in various cultures and languages around the world.

Definition and Usage

The expression "無知" is used to denote ignorance or a lack of information about a particular subject. In everyday life, it can be applied in both personal contexts, when one admits not knowing something, and in broader scenarios, such as debates or discussions where a lack of knowledge may be a point of criticism. Although the word can have a negative connotation, it can also be a way to humbly recognize that there is always something new to learn.

In addition to the use of the noun 「無知」 (muchi), there are verbal and adjectival forms derived in the Japanese language, such as 「無知なる」 (muchi-naru), which describes someone who is ignorant, and 「無知である」 (muchi de aru), which means "to be ignorant." This type of variation allows the term to be incorporated into different grammatical structures, enriching the language and enabling more complex expressions.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 無学 (Mugaku) - Lack of education, ignorance in academic terms.
• 無知識 (Muchishiki) - Lack of knowledge, absence of information.
• 無教養 (Mukyouyou) - Lack of culture or refinement, absence of social education.
• 無知無識 (Muchimushiki) - Total ignorance, without awareness of what is not known.
• 無知病 (Muchibyō) - Disease of ignorance, a condition where a person is unaware of their own lack of knowledge.
• 無知者 (Muchisha) - Ignorant person, someone who lacks knowledge or understanding.

無知

Romaji: muchi
Kana: むち
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: ignorância

Meaning in English: ignorance

Definition: Not having knowledge or information.

Example Sentences - (無知) muchi

See below some example sentences:

無知は罪だ。

Muchi wa tsumi da

Ignorance is a sin.

Ignorance is a sin.

• 無知 - means "ignorance" in Japanese.
• は - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 罪 - means "sin" or "crime" in Japanese.
• だ - verbo "ser" em japonês, indicando que a frase é uma afirmação.