默 meaning and stroke order
Silent; quiet, still; dark
How to write 默, stroke by stroke
16 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 默
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- silent
- to write from memory
How 默 is built
Pictographic character. A dog 犬 watching in the dark 黑.
Radical: 黑 (black), shared by 17 characters on this site.
How to remember 默
默 puts 黑 (hēi, black, dark) next to 犬 (quǎn, dog). Picture a dog keeping watch in the dark without making a sound, silent and still.
默 usually appears in compounds about silence, such as 沉默 (chénmò, silent) and 默默 (mòmò, quietly). It also means writing something from memory, as in 默写 (mòxiě). Example: 他默默地走了。(Tā mòmò de zǒu le.) He left quietly.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 大 and forget the dot of 犬, or mix 默 up with 黑 (hēi) alone. Also note that 幽默 (yōumò) means humor, not silence, because it is a loanword chosen for its sound.
Common words with 默
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 沉默 | chénmò | taciturn; uncommunicative | HSK 4 |
| 默默 | mòmò | in silence; not speaking | HSK 4 |
| 幽默 | yōumò | (loanword) humor; humorous | HSK 5 |
| 默契 | mòqì | tacit understanding; unwritten agreement; rapport | HSK 7-9 |
| 默默无闻 | mòmò-wúwén | (idiom) unknown; unrenowned | HSK 7-9 |
| 默读 | mòdú | to read in silence | HSK 7-9 |
| 潜移默化 | qiányí-mòhuà | imperceptible influence; to influence secretly | HSK 7-9 |
| 幽默感 | yōumògǎn | sense of humor | |
| 缄默 | jiānmò | to keep silent | |
| 静默 | jìngmò | silent; still; quiet; to mourn in silence; to observe silence | |
| 默认 | mòrèn | to agree tacitly; tacit approval | |
| 默哀 | mò'āi | to observe a moment of silence in tribute | |
| 沉默寡言 | chénmòguǎyán | habitually silent (idiom); reticent |
默 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 默
How many strokes are in 默?
默 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 默 mean?
默 (mò) means silent; quiet, still; dark. A common word with it is 沉默 (chénmò), meaning "taciturn; uncommunicative".
How do you pronounce 默?
默 is pronounced mò, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 默?
The radical of 默 is 黑, which carries the idea of "black". Dictionaries list 默 under this radical.
Is 默 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 默 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 默写 mean in Chinese class?
默写 (mòxiě) means writing a text or vocabulary from memory without looking. Teachers often give 默写 as a dictation-style test of characters or poems.
What is the difference between 沉默 and 安静?
沉默 (chénmò) describes a person choosing not to speak, like staying silent in a meeting. 安静 (ānjìng) describes a quiet environment or a calm state, like a quiet room.