摸 meaning and stroke order
To feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke
How to write 摸, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 摸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to feel with the hand
- to touch
- to stroke
- to grope
- to steal
- to abstract
- variant of 摹[mo2]
How 摸 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 莫 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 摸
摸 is a hand 扌 next to 莫 (mò), which gives the sound. Picture a hand reaching out to touch something, and let 莫 remind you of the "mo" sound in mō.
摸 means to touch or feel with your hand, and it also extends to groping around or figuring something out, as in 摸索 (mōsuǒ) and 摸清 (mōqīng). Example: 别摸那只狗。(Bié mō nà zhī gǒu.) Don't touch that dog.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 摸 with 模 (mó, mú), which has the same 莫 part but the wood radical 木 and means model or pattern, as in 模特 (mótè). Also keep the tone flat and high: 摸 is mō, not mó.
Common words with 摸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 触摸 | chùmō | to touch | HSK 7-9 |
| 抚摸 | fǔmō | to gently caress and stroke; to pet | HSK 7-9 |
| 摸索 | mōsuǒ | to feel about; to grope about | HSK 7-9 |
| 偷偷摸摸 | tōutōumōmō | (idiom) surreptitious; sneaky | |
| 摸清 | mōqīng | to suss out; to figure out; to ascertain | |
| 难以捉摸 | nányǐzhuōmō | elusive; hard to pin down | |
| 自摸 | zìmō | (mahjong) to self-draw the winning tile; (slang) to play with oneself; to masturbate | |
| 捉摸 | zhuōmō | to fathom; to make sense of |
摸 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 摸
How many strokes are in 摸?
摸 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 摸 mean?
摸 (mō) means to feel with the hand; to touch; to stroke. A common word with it is 触摸 (chùmō), meaning "to touch".
How do you pronounce 摸?
摸 is pronounced mō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 摸?
The radical of 摸 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 摸 under this radical.
Is 摸 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 摸 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 摸 and 碰?
摸 (mō) is a deliberate touch or feel with the hand, often gentle or exploring. 碰 (pèng) means to bump or come into contact, often by accident, and does not need to involve the hand.
How is 摸 used to mean figuring something out?
In words like 摸清 (mōqīng) and 捉摸 (zhuōmō), 摸 means to feel your way to an understanding. For example, 摸清情况 (mōqīng qíngkuàng) means to get a clear picture of the situation.