缪 meaning and stroke order
To prepare; error, mistake; attached
How to write 缪, stroke by stroke
14 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 缪
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 謬|谬[miu4]
- used in 綢繆|绸缪[chou2 mou2]
- old variant of 穆[mu4]
How 缪 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 翏 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 缪
The silk radical 纟 (thread) sits beside 翏, which gives the sound. Picture threads being bound tightly together, which fits the word 绸缪 (chóumóu), to bind up and prepare in advance.
In modern Chinese 缪 (móu) mostly appears in the set phrase 未雨绸缪 (wèi yǔ chóumóu), meaning to prepare before trouble comes. Example: 我们要未雨绸缪。(Wǒmen yào wèi yǔ chóumóu.) We should prepare ahead of time.
Common mistake: Learners often write 谬 (miù, error) when they mean 缪, or the reverse. 谬 has the speech radical 讠 and is the normal character for mistake, as in 荒谬 (huāngmiù), while 缪 has the thread radical 纟.
缪 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 缪
How many strokes are in 缪?
缪 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 缪 mean?
缪 (móu) means to prepare; error, mistake; attached.
How do you pronounce 缪?
缪 is pronounced móu, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 缪?
The radical of 缪 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 缪 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 缪?
The traditional form of 缪 is 繆. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 缪 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I know whether to read 缪 as móu, miù, or mù?
Read it móu in 绸缪 (chóumóu) and 未雨绸缪. The miù reading is an old variant of 谬 (error), and mù is an old variant of 穆. In everyday modern text, móu in 绸缪 is the one you will meet most.
Does 缪 appear as a surname?
Yes, 缪 is used as a Chinese surname. The provided dictionary data does not list a reading for this use, so check a name dictionary for how it is pronounced.