noun HSK 1
Traditional
mén
door · gate · entrance · gateway

Meaning

is one of the most fundamental characters in Chinese, referring to a door, gate, or any kind of entrance. It's also used metaphorically to mean a field of study or category (like 专 'specialized'). The character's shape visually resembles a traditional double door.

Usage

This is an extremely common everyday word used for physical doors and gates. It's also productive in compounds, appearing in words related to entry, fields of study, and categories. Native speakers use it constantly when talking about houses, buildings, rooms, and access points.

Examples

  1. 01
    请把关上。
    Qǐng mén guān shàng.
    Please close the door.
  2. 02
    他站在口等你。
    zhàn zài mén kǒu děng .
    He's standing at the entrance waiting for you.

Measure words

  • shàn一扇门
  • dào一道门

Common collocations

  • qiāo mén
    to knock on the door
  • chū mén
    to go out, to leave the house
  • jìn mén
    to enter the door
  • mén kǒu
    doorway, entrance

Origin

The character is a pictograph originally depicting a two-panel door or gate. The traditional form more clearly shows the two door panels.

Related