秒 meaning and stroke order
Second (unit of time); arc second (angular measurement unit); (coll.) instantly
How to write 秒, stroke by stroke
9 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 秒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- second (unit of time)
- arc second (angular measurement unit)
- (coll.) instantly
How 秒 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grain.
禾 gives the meaning and 少 hints at the sound.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 秒
秒 combines 禾 (grain) with 少 (shǎo, little), which also hints at the sound. Picture the tiniest bit of a grain stalk: something very small, like a second of time.
秒 is the standard word for a second of time and is often used with 钟 as 秒钟 (miǎozhōng). In casual speech it can mean "instantly," as in 秒回 (miǎo huí, reply instantly). Example: 请等我十秒。(Qǐng děng wǒ shí miǎo.) Please wait ten seconds for me.
Common mistake: Learners mix up 秒 with 妙 (miào, wonderful), which shares the 少 part but has 女 on the left and a fourth tone. Remember that 秒 takes the grain radical 禾 and is third tone, miǎo.
Common words with 秒
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
秒 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 秒
How many strokes are in 秒?
秒 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 秒 mean?
秒 (miǎo) means second (unit of time); arc second (angular measurement unit); (coll.) instantly. A common word with it is 争分夺秒 (zhēngfēn-duómiǎo), meaning "lit. fight minutes, snatch seconds (idiom); a race against time; making every second count".
How do you pronounce 秒?
秒 is pronounced miǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 秒?
The radical of 秒 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 秒 under this radical.
Is 秒 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 秒 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Do I need a measure word before 秒?
No. 秒 works like a measure word itself, so you say 三十秒 (sānshí miǎo, thirty seconds) directly. You can also say 三十秒钟 with the same meaning.
What does 秒 mean in internet slang?
Online, 秒 is used as a verb meaning to do something instantly or defeat someone in a second. For example, 秒杀 (miǎoshā) means to beat someone instantly, and it is also used for flash sales that sell out in seconds.