矛 meaning and stroke order
Spear, lance
How to write 矛, stroke by stroke
5 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
Meaning of 矛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- spear; lance; pike
How 矛 is built
Pictographic character. A spear pointed up and to the right.
How to remember 矛
矛 (máo) is a picture of a spear pointed up and to the right. The hooked top is the blade, and the long curved stroke down the middle is the shaft you hold.
On its own 矛 is rare in modern speech, but it appears constantly in 矛盾 (máodùn), which means contradiction or conflict. Example: 他的话很矛盾。(Tā de huà hěn máodùn.) What he says is contradictory.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 矛 (máo) with 予 (yǔ, to give), since 矛 looks like 予 with an extra stroke. Also keep the second tone in 矛盾 (máodùn) and do not read it as mào.
Common words with 矛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
矛 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 矛
Learning 矛 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 矛
How many strokes are in 矛?
矛 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 矛 mean?
矛 (máo) means spear, lance. A common word with it is 矛盾 (máodùn), meaning "contradiction; conflicting views".
How do you pronounce 矛?
矛 is pronounced máo, in the second tone (rising).
Is 矛 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 矛 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why does 矛盾 mean contradiction?
矛 is a spear and 盾 (dùn) is a shield. The word comes from the story in 自相矛盾 (zìxiāng-máodùn) about a seller who claimed his spear could pierce anything and his shield could stop anything, which cannot both be true.
Can 矛盾 be used as an adjective or a verb?
Yes. Besides being a noun, it can describe feelings, as in 我心里很矛盾 (wǒ xīnli hěn máodùn), I feel torn. It also refers to conflicts between people, as in 他们有矛盾 (tāmen yǒu máodùn), they have issues with each other.