冒

mào

risk, brave; impersonate; emerge; cover the head

Meaning

Risk and Endurance: To brave or push through adverse conditions (e.g., weather, danger).
Pretense and Falsehood: To impersonate, falsely claim a title or rank, or assume a fake identity.
Emergence and Surge: To burst forth, surge, sprout, or rise suddenly; common in reference to water, smoke, steam, or botanical growth.
Literal/Physical: To put on a hat, veil, or cap; to envelop or cover the head.

Grammar and usage

Often functions as a transitive verb when denoting risk or endurance, typically followed by environmental hardships or threats.

Distinctions

Contrast with 茂 (lush/abundant): 冒 refers to the action of emerging, whereas 茂 describes the state of growth.

History and forms

Tang-period reading: mɑ̀u.
Semantic variant: U+2F8D2 (functionally identical).

Translator notes

When appearing alongside nouns of status or identity, prioritize "impersonation" over "bravery."
In the sense of risk and endurance, the glyph implies advancing despite an obstacle rather than passive endurance.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.