毛 meaning and stroke order
Hair; feather; down
How to write 毛, stroke by stroke
4 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 毛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- hair
- feather
- down
- wool
- mildew
- mold
How 毛 is built
Components of the character.
How to remember 毛
Picture 毛 (máo) as a single hair or feather: the long hooked stroke at the bottom is the shaft, and the short strokes crossing it, including 一, are the strands sticking out to the sides.
毛 appears in many everyday words for things made of or looking like hair, fur, or wool, such as 毛巾 (máojīn, towel) and 毛衣 (máoyī, sweater). It also shows up in the common word 毛病 (máobìng) for a fault or defect. Example: 我的电脑出毛病了。(Wǒ de diànnǎo chū máobìng le.) My computer has broken down.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 毛 with 手 (shǒu, hand). 手 has a straight vertical stroke ending in a hook to the left, while the last stroke of 毛 curves to the right and hooks upward. Also note that in 眉毛 (méimao) the 毛 is usually said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 毛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 毛病 | máobìng | fault; defect | HSK 3 |
| 毛巾 | máojīn | towel | HSK 4 |
| 毛衣 | máoyī | (wool) sweater | HSK 4 |
| 羽毛球 | yǔmáoqiú | badminton; shuttlecock | HSK 5 |
| 毛笔 | máobǐ | writing brush | HSK 5 |
| 眉毛 | méimao | eyebrow | HSK 7-9 |
| 出毛病 | chū máobìng | a problem appears; to break down | HSK 7-9 |
| 一毛不拔 | yīmáo-bùbá | (lit.) unwilling to spare a single hair (idiom); (fig.) extremely stingy | HSK 7-9 |
| 羽毛 | yǔmáo | feather; plumage | |
| 毛骨悚然 | máogǔsǒngrán | to have one's hair stand on end (idiom); to feel one's blood run cold | |
| 毛利 | máolì | gross profit | |
| 毛发 | máofà | hair | |
| 羊毛 | yángmáo | wool; fleece | |
| 毛毯 | máotǎn | blanket |
毛 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 毛
Learning 毛 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 毛
How many strokes are in 毛?
毛 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 毛 mean?
毛 (máo) means hair; feather; down. A common word with it is 毛病 (máobìng), meaning "fault; defect".
How do you pronounce 毛?
毛 is pronounced máo, in the second tone (rising).
Is 毛 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 毛 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Why does 毛 also mean money in Chinese?
In spoken Chinese, 毛 (máo) is the everyday word for one tenth of a yuan, the same as the more formal 角 (jiǎo). For example, 五毛 (wǔ máo) means 50 cents.
Does 毛 only mean animal fur, or human hair too?
It covers both body hair and fur, as in 眉毛 (méimao, eyebrow) and 羊毛 (yángmáo, wool). For the hair on your head, Chinese usually uses 头发 (tóufa) instead of 毛.