萌 meaning and stroke order
Bud, germ, sprout; to bud
How to write 萌, stroke by stroke
11 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 萌
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to sprout; to bud
- (coll.) cute; adorable (orthographic borrowing from Japanese 萌え "moe", affection for an anime or manga character)
- variant of 氓[meng2]
How 萌 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Plant.
艹 gives the meaning and 明 hints at the sound.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 萌
萌 (méng) is grass 艹 on top of 明 (míng, bright). Picture a little plant pushing up into the bright light as it sprouts, and 明 also hints at the sound.
In formal Chinese 萌 appears in words about sprouting or beginnings, like 萌芽 (méngyá) and 萌发 (méngfā). In everyday slang it means cute, as in 这只小猫好萌 (zhè zhī xiǎo māo hǎo méng), "This kitten is so cute."
Common mistake: Learners often read 萌 as míng because of the 明 part, but it is second tone méng. Also do not confuse it with 盟 (méng, alliance), which has 皿 at the bottom instead of grass on top.
Common words with 萌
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
萌 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 萌
How many strokes are in 萌?
萌 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 萌 mean?
萌 (méng) means bud, germ, sprout; to bud. A common word with it is 萌芽 (méngyá), meaning "(of a seed) to germinate; (of a plant) to sprout; to bud".
How do you pronounce 萌?
萌 is pronounced méng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 萌?
The radical of 萌 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 萌 under this radical.
Is 萌 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 萌 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 萌 different from 可爱 when saying cute?
可爱 (kě'ài) is the standard, neutral word for cute and works in any situation. 萌 is internet and youth slang with an anime flavor, so it sounds playful and informal.
Can 萌 be used for ideas or plans, not just plants?
Yes. 萌芽 and 萌发 are often used figuratively for something just beginning, such as 萌发了一个想法 (méngfā le yí gè xiǎngfǎ), "an idea began to form." 萌芽状态 means "in the early stage."