茅 meaning and stroke order
Rushes, reeds, grass; surname
How to write 茅, stroke by stroke
8 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
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 茅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- reeds
- rushes
How 茅 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grass.
艹 gives the meaning and 矛 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 茅
The grass radical 艹 on top tells you this is a plant, and 矛 (máo, spear) below gives the sound. Picture tall reeds with leaves as sharp as spear tips.
Today 茅 mostly appears in fixed words and names. You will see it in thatch words like 茅屋 (máowū, thatched hut) and in the famous liquor brand. Example: 他送了我一瓶茅台。(Tā sòng le wǒ yì píng Máotái.) He gave me a bottle of Maotai.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 茅 with 矛 (máo, spear), since both are read máo. The version with 艹 on top is the plant, and the version without it is the weapon. Also watch the bottom part. 矛 ends with a hooked stroke and a short slant, so do not write it like 子.
Common words with 茅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
茅 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 茅
How many strokes are in 茅?
茅 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 茅 mean?
茅 (máo) means rushes, reeds, grass; surname. A common word with it is 茅台 (Máotái), meaning "maotai liquor 茅臺酒|茅台酒[mao2 tai2 jiu3]".
How do you pronounce 茅?
茅 is pronounced máo, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 茅?
The radical of 茅 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 茅 under this radical.
Is 茅 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 茅 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 茅塞顿开 mean?
茅塞顿开 (máo sè dùn kāi) is an idiom meaning to suddenly understand something, as if the reeds blocking your mind were cleared away. People say it when an explanation finally makes things click.
Is 茅 used as a surname?
Yes, 茅 is a Chinese surname. A well-known example is the writer 茅盾 (Máo Dùn), though that is a pen name. Do not confuse it with the surname 毛 (Máo), which has the same pronunciation.