谋 meaning and stroke order
To plan, to scheme; strategem
How to write 谋, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 谋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to plan
- to seek
- scheme
How 谋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
讠 gives the meaning and 某 hints at the sound.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 谋
谋 combines 讠 (speech) with 某 (mǒu, a certain one), which gives the sound. Picture people talking quietly about "a certain someone" or "a certain thing" as they make a plan.
谋 is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It appears in compounds about planning, seeking, or plotting, such as 谋生 (móushēng), 谋求 (móuqiú), and 阴谋 (yīnmóu). Example: 他在城里谋生。(Tā zài chéng lǐ móushēng.) He makes a living in the city.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 谋 (móu) with its phonetic part 某 (mǒu, a certain). They look alike but differ in tone and meaning, and 谋 always has the speech radical 讠 on the left. Also do not mix it up with 媒 (méi, medium), which shares 某 but has 女 on the left.
Common words with 谋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阴谋 | yīnmóu | to conspire; to plot; a conspiracy; a plot | HSK 6 |
| 谋生 | móushēng | to seek one's livelihood; to work to support oneself | HSK 7-9 |
| 参谋 | cānmóu | staff officer; to give advice | HSK 7-9 |
| 谋害 | móuhài | to conspire to murder; to plot against sb's life | HSK 7-9 |
| 谋求 | móuqiú | to seek; to strive for | HSK 7-9 |
| 足智多谋 | zúzhì-duōmóu | resourceful; full of stratagems | HSK 7-9 |
| 谋杀 | móushā | to murder; to assassinate | |
| 谋杀案 | móushā'àn | murder case | |
| 谋杀罪 | móushāzuì | murder | |
| 同谋 | tóngmóu | to conspire with sb; to plot | |
| 密谋 | mìmóu | conspiracy; secret plan | |
| 预谋 | yùmóu | premeditated; to plan sth in advance (esp. a crime) | |
| 主谋 | zhǔmóu | mastermind; ringleader | |
| 计谋 | jìmóu | stratagem; scheme |
谋 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 谋
How many strokes are in 谋?
谋 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 谋 mean?
谋 (móu) means to plan, to scheme; strategem. A common word with it is 阴谋 (yīnmóu), meaning "to conspire; to plot; a conspiracy; a plot".
How do you pronounce 谋?
谋 is pronounced móu, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 谋?
The radical of 谋 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 谋 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 谋?
The traditional form of 谋 is 謀. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 谋 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 谋 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 谋 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Does 谋 always have a negative meaning like plotting?
No. 阴谋 (yīnmóu) and 谋杀 (móushā) are negative, but 谋生 (móushēng, to make a living) and 谋求 (móuqiú, to strive for) are neutral. 足智多谋 (zúzhì-duōmóu) is even a compliment for a resourceful person.
What is the difference between 谋杀 and 杀?
杀 (shā) simply means to kill. 谋杀 (móushā) means planned, intentional murder, so it is used in legal and news contexts, as in 谋杀案 (móushā'àn), a murder case.