未
not yet; did not; have not; not; 8th earthly branch: 1-3 p.m., 6th solar month (7th July-6th August), year of the Sheep; ancient Chinese compass point: 210°
Closest English meanings
not yet·not·eighth earthly branch
The Calligrapher — Zhāng Jízhī 张即之
Song master of vigorous regular and running script.
Song calligrapher (), master of regular script/running script — known for 《佛遗教经》. Song dynasty
Cultural Story
未 is the eighth earthly branch and, in the 易經, the sign of late afternoon, the day not yet done. The 論語 records Confucius saying he is 未知生, still unsure of life, let alone death. The character pairs with 来 to point always forward — the not-yet that is also the not-known, a humble posture before time.
Common words & phrases
- 未来 future
- 未必 not necessarily · maybe not
- 未曾 never · have not
- 未知 unknown · unexplored
- 未免 rather · somewhat · truly
- 尚未 not yet · still not
Read the story behind the character
未 drives the forward tense of ordinary speech: 未来 is the five-year plan and the teenager's career; 尚未 means the train has not yet left; 未必 softens a boast. In a lab 未知 names the unsolved problem. The word is the small brake on every certainty, the syllable that keeps a sentence honest about what has not happened.
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