靡 meaning and stroke order
To scatter, to disperse; to divide
How to write 靡, stroke by stroke
19 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 靡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to waste (money)
- extravagant
- go with fashion
- not
How 靡 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wrong.
非 gives the meaning and 麻 hints at the sound.
Radical: 非 (not), shared by 4 characters on this site.
How to remember 靡
靡 is built from 麻 (má, hemp) on top, which gives the sound, and 非 (fēi, wrong, not) below, which gives the meaning. Picture hemp fibers splitting apart in the wrong directions, scattering and wasted.
靡 is mostly read mǐ in modern Chinese and appears in set phrases rather than on its own. It shows up in words like 奢靡 (shēmí, extravagant) and in the idiom 所向披靡. Example: 这支球队所向披靡。(Zhè zhī qiúduì suǒxiàngpīmǐ.) This team beats everyone it faces.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 靡 with 糜 (mí, rice porridge) and 魔 (mó, demon), which also sit under 麻. Check the bottom part: only 靡 has 非.
Common words with 靡
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 所向披靡 | suǒxiàngpīmǐ | (idiom) to sweep everything before one; to be invincible |
靡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 靡
How many strokes are in 靡?
靡 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 靡 mean?
靡 (mí) means to scatter, to disperse; to divide. A common word with it is 所向披靡 (suǒxiàngpīmǐ), meaning "(idiom) to sweep everything before one; to be invincible".
How do you pronounce 靡?
靡 is pronounced mí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 靡?
The radical of 靡 is 非, which carries the idea of "not". Dictionaries list 靡 under this radical.
When is 靡 read mí and when is it mǐ?
It is read mí in the sense of wasting, as in 靡费 (mífèi, to waste money). It is read mǐ for meanings like extravagant, following a trend, or not, as in 所向披靡 and 风靡 (fēngmǐ).
What does 风靡 mean?
风靡 (fēngmǐ) means to be all the rage or to sweep the nation, like grass bending in the wind. Example: 这首歌风靡全国。(Zhè shǒu gē fēngmǐ quánguó.) This song became popular across the country.