Mem — Mediated Wiki

{{Short description|Thirteenth letter of many Semitic alphabets}} {{hatnote group| {{About|the Semitic letter}} {{Distinguish|text=the similarly shaped Phoenician letters Nun (𐤍) or Tsade (𐤑), or Meme}} }} {{Infobox Semitic letter|letname=Mem|previouslink=Lamedh|previousletter=Lamedh|nextlink=Nun (letter)|nextletter=Nun|archar=م|sychar=ܡ|hechar=מם|smchar=ࠌ|amchar=𐡌|nbchar=𐢓𐢒|gechar=መ|ugchar=𐎎|phchar=𐤌|nachar=𐪃|sachar=𐩣|grchar=Μ|lachar=M|cychar=М|maltchar=m|ipa={{IPA link|m}}|num=13|gem=40}} '''Mem''' (also spelled '''Meem''', '''Meme''', or '''Mim''') is the thirteenth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Hebrew ''mēm'' {{Script|Hebr|מ}}, Aramaic ''mem'' 𐡌, Syriac ''mīm'' ܡ, Arabic ''mīm'' {{Script|Arabic|م}}, and Phoenician ''mēm'' 𐤌. Its sound value is {{IPAblink|m}}. It is also related to the Ancient North Arabian 𐪃‎‎‎, South Arabian {{lang|sem-x-oldsoara|𐩣}}, and Ge'ez {{lang|gez|መ}}. The Phoenician letter gave rise to the Greek mu (Μ), Etruscan class=skin-invert-image|10px|M, Latin M, and Cyrillic М.

==Origins== Mem is believed to derive from the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for water, <hiero>N35</hiero> which had been simplified in the Proto-Sinaitic script and named after the West Semitic word for "water", ''mem'' (class=skin-invert-image|15px), as in Biblical Hebrew ''maym'' (מַיִם) 'water',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strong's Hebrew: 4325. מָ֫יִם (mayim) -- Water |url=https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4325.htm |access-date=2026-01-06 |website=biblehub.com}}</ref> ultimately coming from Proto-Semitic ''*may-''.

==Arabic mīm== {{Infobox grapheme | name = Mīm ميم | letter = م | variations = | image = | imagesize = 200 | imagealt = | script = Arabic script | type = Abjad | typedesc = | language = Arabic language | phonemes = {{IPA link|m}} | unicode = {{Unichar|0645|ARABIC LETTER MEEM}} | alphanumber = 24 | number = | usageperiod = | children = | equivalents = | associates = | direction = Right-to-left | fam2 = 𐤌 | fam3 = 𐡌‎ | fam4 = 𐢒‎, 𐢓‎ }}

The letter is named ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|mīm}}'', and is written in several ways depending on its position in the word: {{Arabic alphabet shapes|م}} Some examples on its uses in Modern Standard Arabic:

''Mīm'' is used in the creation of ''ism'' words (i.e. nouns and adjectives; they are treated fundamentally the same in Arabic grammar). Specifically, ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|mīm}}'' is used in the creation of the ''masdar'' (verbal noun) of Stem III verbs (the ''masdar'' of verbs on the pattern ''fāʿala'' is ''mufāʿala''), of subject and object nouns for verbs of Stems II-X (using the example of Stem II, subject nouns—called ''fāʿil'' words because of their form in Stem I—are ''mufaʿʿil'' for verbs of Stems II-X, and object nouns—called ''mafʿūl'' also because of their Stem I form—take the form ''mufaʿʿal'' for verbs of Stems II-X). Place-nouns are also created with ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|mīm}}''; the pattern ''mafʿal'' is used to create ''maktab'' "office" from the triliteral '''''k-t-b''''' (to write) and ''maṣnaʿ'' "factory" from '''''ṣ-n-ʿ''''' (to make). [[File:Nastaliq Painting-Caligraphy the letter Mim.jpg|thumb|alt=210|Nastaliq Persian Calligram the Persian letter Mem]]

==Hebrew mem== {|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" !colspan=5|Orthographic variants of non-final form |- !colspan=3|Various print fonts !rowspan=2|Cursive Hebrew !rowspan=2|Rashi script |- !|Serif !! Sans-serif !! Monospaced |- |width=20%|מ |width=20%|מ |width=20%|מ |width=20%|class=skin-invert-image|21px |width=20%|class=skin-invert-image|35px |}

Hebrew spelling: <big>{{lang|he|מֵם}}</big>

===Hebrew pronunciation=== Mem represents a bilabial nasal {{IPAblink|m}}.

===Variations on written form/pronunciation=== {|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" !colspan=5|Orthographic variants of final form |- !colspan=3|Various Print Fonts !rowspan=2|Cursive Hebrew !rowspan=2|Rashi Script |- !|Serif !! Sans-serif !! Monospaced |- |width=20%|ם |width=20%|ם |width=20%|ם |width=20%|class=skin-invert-image|24px |width=20%|class=skin-invert-image|32px |} In Hebrew, Mem, like Kaph, Nun, Pe, and Tzadi, has a final form, used at the end of words: its shape changes from {{Script/Hebrew|מ}} to {{Script/Hebrew|ם}}.

===Significance=== In gematria, Mem represents the number 40 in both the Standard and Mispar Gadol Methods of Gematriea; However, (mem sofit) final mem's value is 40 in the Standard Method and 600 in the Mispar Gadol method. The Standard Method adds the values of Tav and Resh (400+200) to denote the value of mem sofit.

In the Sefer Yetzirah, the letter Mem is King over Water, Formed Earth in the Universe, Cold in the Year, and the Belly in the Soul.

As an abbreviation, it stands for metre. In the Israeli army it can also stand for ''mefaked'', commander. In Hebrew religious texts, it can stand for the name of God '''Makom''', the Place.

===Mem and Tarot=== Mem is associated with The Hanged Man (Atu XII), the element of water and the path between Geburah and Hod on the Tree of Life.

==Syriac mim== {{Arabic alphabet shapes|ܡ}}

==Character encodings==

{{charmap |05DE|name1=Hebrew Letter Mem |05DD|name2=Hebrew Letter Final Mem |0645|name3=Arabic Letter Meem |0721|name4=Syriac Letter Mim |080C|name5=Samaritan Letter Mim |FB26|name6=Hebrew Letter Wide Final Mem |FB3E|name7=Hebrew Letter Mem With Dagesh }}

{{charmap |1038E|name1=Ugaritic Letter Mem |1084C|name2=Imperial Aramaic Letter Mem |1090C|name3=Phoenician Letter Mem }}

==See also== *Nun (letter)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Mem (letter)}}{{Arabic language}}{{Hebrew language}} {{Northwest Semitic abjad}}

Category:Phoenician alphabet Category:Arabic letters Category:Hebrew letters Category:Urdu letters Category:Letters with final form