Ideographic: The sound 口 a bird 鸟 makesRadical:

meaning for míng:

  • - to cry (of birds, animals and insects)
  • - to make a sound
  • - to voice (one's gratitude, grievance etc)resonance (physics)
  • - sympathetic response to sthboom (sound of explosion)
  • - rumblea hundred schools of thought contend (idiom)
  • - refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BCto contendto fire warning shots