梅 meaning and stroke order
Plum; prune; surname
How to write 梅, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 11
Meaning of 梅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- plum
- plum flower
- Japanese apricot (Prunus mume)
- variant of 梅[mei2]
- old variant of 梅[mei2]
How 梅 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Tree.
木 gives the meaning and 每 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 梅
梅 is a pictophonetic character: 木 (mù, tree) on the left gives the meaning, and 每 (měi, every) on the right gives the sound. Picture a tree that blooms every winter, the plum tree.
梅 usually appears in compounds such as 梅花 (méihuā, plum blossom) and 梅子 (méizi, plum), and it is also a common surname. The plum blossom is a classic symbol of resilience because it flowers in cold weather. Example: 冬天梅花开了。(Dōngtiān méihuā kāi le.) The plum blossoms opened in winter.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 梅 (méi) with 每 (měi, every) or 霉 (méi, mold) because they share the same sound component. Remember that 梅 has the tree radical 木, and its tone is second tone, not the third tone of 每.
Common words with 梅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 梅花 | méihuā | plum blossom; clubs ♣ (a suit in card games) | HSK 6 |
| 青梅竹马 | qīngméizhúmǎ | lit. green plums and hobby-horse (idiom); fig. innocent children's games | |
| 梅毒 | méidú | syphilis | |
| 梅子 | méizi | plum |
梅 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 梅
How many strokes are in 梅?
梅 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 梅 mean?
梅 (méi) means plum; prune; surname. A common word with it is 梅花 (méihuā), meaning "plum blossom; clubs ♣ (a suit in card games)".
How do you pronounce 梅?
梅 is pronounced méi, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 梅?
The radical of 梅 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 梅 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 梅?
The traditional form of 梅 is 楳 and 槑. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 梅 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 梅 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 梅 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 梅 the same fruit as a Western plum?
Not exactly. 梅 usually refers to Prunus mume, often called the Japanese apricot or Chinese plum, which is sour and often pickled or used in drinks. The common Western plum is more often called 李子 (lǐzi).
What does 青梅竹马 mean when describing people?
It literally means green plums and a bamboo hobby-horse. It describes two people, often a couple, who have been close since early childhood, like childhood sweethearts.