麝 meaning and stroke order
Musk deer
How to write 麝, stroke by stroke
21 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 麝
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)
- also called 香獐子
How 麝 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Deer.
鹿 gives the meaning and 射 hints at the sound.
Radical: 鹿 (deer), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 麝
麝 is a deer 鹿 (lù) wrapped over 射 (shè), which gives the sound. Picture a deer that "shoots" out a strong scent, since 射 means to shoot and the musk deer is known for its smell.
麝 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. You will mostly see it in 麝香 (shèxiāng, musk), found in perfume, traditional medicine, and classical poetry. Example: 这种香水有麝香的味道。(Zhè zhǒng xiāngshuǐ yǒu shèxiāng de wèidào.) This perfume has a musk scent.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 麝 as lù because of the 鹿 part, but the sound comes from 射, so it is shè with a falling fourth tone. Also make sure 射 sits inside the 鹿 frame, under its top and beside its left stroke, rather than next to it.
Common words with 麝
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 麝香 | shèxiāng | musk |
麝 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 麝
How many strokes are in 麝?
麝 is written with 21 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 麝 mean?
麝 (shè) means musk deer. A common word with it is 麝香 (shèxiāng), meaning "musk".
How do you pronounce 麝?
麝 is pronounced shè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 麝?
The radical of 麝 is 鹿, which carries the idea of "deer". Dictionaries list 麝 under this radical.
What does 香獐子 mean, and is it the same animal as 麝?
Yes. 香獐子 (xiāngzhāngzi) is an everyday name for the musk deer, the same animal as 麝. 香 means fragrant, which points to the musk it produces.
Does 麝 have the same pronunciation as 射 and 社?
Yes, 麝, 射 (to shoot), and 社 (society) are all pronounced shè in the fourth tone. You tell them apart from context and from the words they appear in, such as 麝香 versus 射击 (shèjī, shooting) or 社会 (shèhuì, society).