名义
míngyì · HSK 6
name
🏷️ 名 name + 义 righteousness — a title held in name
The formal label someone carries. 名义上 means nominally or in name only — the title exists on paper even if the reality differs.
名 — evening 夕 + mouth 口
A compound ideograph: in the dark of evening (夕), one cannot recognize others by sight, so the mouth (口) calls out a name to identify oneself. The original sense of 'name' broadened to include reputation, fame, and a measure word for people.