Mem

Template:Short description Template:Template other Mem (also spelled Meem, Meme, or Mim) is the thirteenth letter of the Semitic abjads, including Hebrew mēm Template:Script, Aramaic mem 𐡌, Syriac mīm ܡ, Arabic mīm Template:Script, and Phoenician mēm 𐤌. Its sound value is Template:IPAblink. It is also related to the Ancient North Arabian 𐪃‎‎‎, South Arabian , and Ge'ez . The Phoenician letter gave rise to the Greek mu (Μ), Etruscan 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 by the Phoenicians and named after their word for "water", mem (File:Phoenician mem.svg), ultimately coming from Proto-Semitic *may-.

Arabic mīm

The letter is named Template:Transliteration, and is written in several ways depending on its position in the word:

Position in word:	Isolated	Final	Medial	Initial
Glyph form: (Help)	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic

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, Template:Transliteration 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 Template:Transliteration; 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).

210

Nastaliq Persian Calligram the Persian letter Mem

Hebrew mem

Orthographic variants of non-final form
Various print fonts			Cursive Hebrew	Rashi script
Serif	Sans-serif	Monospaced
מ	מ	מ	File:Hebrew letter Mem handwriting.svg	File:Mem-nonfinal (Rashi-script - Hebrew letter).svg

Hebrew spelling:

Hebrew pronunciation

Mem represents a bilabial nasal Template:IPAblink.

Variations on written form/pronunciation

Orthographic variants of final form
Various Print Fonts			Cursive Hebrew	Rashi Script
Serif	Sans-serif	Monospaced
ם	ם	ם	File:Hebrew letter Mem-final handwriting.svg	File:Mem-final (Rashi-script - Hebrew letter).svg

In Hebrew, Mem, like Kaph, Nun, Pe, and Tzadi, has a final form, used at the end of words: its shape changes from מ‎ to ם‎.

Significance

In gematria, Mem represents the number 40 in both the Standard and Mispar Gadol Methods of Gematria; 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

Position in word:	Isolated	Final	Medial	Initial
Glyph form: (Help)	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic	Template:Script/Arabic

See also

• Nun (letter)