How to Write 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò) — Meaning “to wipe or apply”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 抹?

Think of the sound 'mā' like 'mop' — you use your hand (扌) to mop or wipe a surface. The right side 末 looks like a brush with a tip, helping you picture applying paint or cream.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 抹?

The right side 末 has three horizontal strokes, but the middle one is the longest; make sure the top and bottom horizontals are shorter. The vertical line in 末 should not touch the top horizontal stroke, leaving a small gap.

Q: How is 抹 different from the similar characters 㧜 and 托?

抹 (mā/mǒ) involves wiping or applying, while 托 (tuō) means 'to hold in the palm' or 'to support' and has a different right side (乇). The character 㧜 is extremely rare and not used in modern Chinese, so focus on distinguishing 抹 from 托 by meaning and shape.

Q: In what everyday situations is 抹 used in modern Chinese?

抹 appears in words like 涂抹 (tú mǒ) for smearing cream or paint, and 抹黑 (mǒ hēi) for tarnishing someone's reputation. It is also used in construction with 抹墙 (mò qiáng), meaning to plaster a wall, showing its practical role in both daily chores and figurative speech.

Q: What common words use 抹?

Common words containing 抹 include: 涂抹 (tú mǒ) — to smear; to apply; to scribble; 抹黑 (mǒ hēi) — to smear; to discredit; to tarnish someone's reputation; 抹墙 (mò qiáng) — to plaster a wall.

mā/mǒ/mò HSK Level 7 8 strokes Radical: 扌

抹 (mā/mǒ/mò) means "to wipe or apply" in Chinese. It has 8 strokes with the radical 扌, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 26% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 5+ common words including 涂抹 (tú mǒ), 抹黑 (mǒ hēi), 抹墙 (mò qiáng).

Due to its 8 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 抹 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 抹 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 抹

The character 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò) is written with 8 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 扌 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does mā/mǒ/mò (抹) Mean in Chinese?

抹 means to wipe or apply.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: mā, mǒ, mò.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 抹 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	抹
Pinyin	mā / mǒ / mò (ma/mo)
Meaning	to wipe or apply
Strokes	8
Radical	扌
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 抹

抹 combines the hand radical 扌 with 末, which originally depicted the tip of a tree branch. Together, they suggest using your hand to wipe or apply something to the very end or tip of a surface.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine your hand (扌) wiping a smudge off the top tip (末) of a tall tree branch.

Common Words with 抹

涂抹 tú mǒ

to smear; to apply; to scribble

抹黑 mǒ hēi

to smear; to discredit; to tarnish someone's reputation

抹墙 mò qiáng

to plaster a wall

拐弯抹角 guǎi wān mò jiǎo

to beat around the bush; to speak indirectly

抹桌子 mā zhuō zi

to wipe the table

Example Sentences

护士轻轻地在伤口上涂抹了一些红药水。

hù shì qīng qīng dì zài shāng kǒu shàng tú mǒ le yī xiē hóng yào shuǐ

The nurse gently applied some red antiseptic to the wound.

我们作为团队成员，绝不能给集体抹黑。

wǒ men zuò wéi tuán duì chéng yuán jué bù néng gěi jí tǐ mǒ hēi

As team members, we must never bring shame upon the group.

泥瓦匠正在细心地抹墙，使表面变得平整。

ní wǎ jiàng zhèng zài xì xīn dì mò qiáng ， shǐ biǎo miàn biàn dé píng zhěng 。

The mason is carefully plastering the wall to make the surface smooth.

有话就直说，没必要这样拐弯抹角。

yǒu huà jiù zhí shuō méi bì yào zhè yàng guǎi wān mò jiǎo

If you have something to say, say it directly; there's no need to beat around the bush.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
抹 (current)	mā / mǒ / mò	8	扌
托	tuō	6	扌
扛	gāng / káng	6	扌
扢	gǔ	6	扌

Practice Writing 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 抹 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 抹

What are the components of 抹 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left side is the radical 扌, which means 'hand' and indicates the action involves the hand. The right side is 末 (mò), meaning 'tip' or 'end,' suggesting the hand moving to the tip or surface to wipe or apply.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 抹?

What should I watch out for when writing 抹?

How is 抹 different from the similar characters 㧜 and 托?

In what everyday situations is 抹 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 抹?

How to Write 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò) — Meaning “to wipe or apply”

Practice Writing 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò)

How to Write 抹

What Does mā/mǒ/mò (抹) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 抹

Common Words with 抹

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 抹 (mā/mǒ/mò)

Frequently Asked Questions about 抹

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 扌

Other 8-Stroke Characters