牟 meaning and stroke order
To profit, to usurp; moo
How to write 牟, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 牟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- barley
- to moo
- to seek or obtain
- old variant of 侔[mou2]
- old variant of 眸[mou2]
- used in 牟平[Mu4 ping2] (the name of a place in Shandong)
- used in 中牟[Zhong1 mu4] (the name of a place in Henan)
How 牟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Ox.
牛 gives the meaning.
Radical: 牛 (ox), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 牟
牟 is an ox 牛 (niú) with a small 厶 on top, like the puff of breath that comes out when a cow goes "moo" (móu). Picture a greedy cow mooing for more, which links to the sense of seeking profit.
Today 牟 mostly appears in the word 牟利 (móulì), which means to make a profit, usually by improper or underhanded means. It sounds formal and critical, so you will see it often in news. Example: 他们非法牟利。(Tāmen fēifǎ móulì.) They made illegal profits.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 牛 alone or confuse 牟 with 车 (chē) because of the similar bottom strokes. Keep the full 牛 shape under 厶. Also note that 牟利 is negative, so do not use it for honest business profit, where 盈利 (yínglì) or 赚钱 (zhuàn qián) fits better.
Common words with 牟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 牟利 | móulì | to gain profit (by underhand means); to exploit |
Characters that contain 牟
Learning 牟 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 牟
How many strokes are in 牟?
牟 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 牟 mean?
牟 (móu) means to profit, to usurp; moo. A common word with it is 牟利 (móulì), meaning "to gain profit (by underhand means); to exploit".
How do you pronounce 牟?
牟 is pronounced móu, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 牟?
The radical of 牟 is 牛, which carries the idea of "ox". Dictionaries list 牟 under this radical.
Is 牟 ever pronounced mù?
Yes. In the place names 牟平 (Mùpíng) in Shandong and 中牟 (Zhōngmù) in Henan, it is read mù. Everywhere else it is móu.
Is 牟 used as a surname?
Yes, 牟 is a Chinese surname, read Móu. You may meet people with this family name, so it is worth recognizing.