How to Write 码 (mǎ) — Meaning “yard (unit of length); code; to pile up”

Imagine a horse (马) standing on a stone (石) to mark a code or measurement. The stone represents a fixed point, and the horse reminds you of the sound "ma." So you can think: "A horse on a stone helps you remember the yard or code."

Write the left radical 石 first: horizontal stroke, downward left-slanting stroke, then two smaller strokes. Then write the right part 马: start with the horizontal stroke, then a small hook stroke, and finally a long horizontal stroke at the bottom. A common mistake is making the horse part too wide; keep it compact and balance with the stone radical.

码 has the horse component 马 on the right, giving it the sound mǎ and meanings related to units or codes. 矶 (jī) also uses 石 but has 几 on the right, meaning a rock or reef. 矸 (gān) has 干 on the right and refers to waste rock or gangue. Remember: 码 is the only one with a horse, linking to "yard" and "code."

码 is very common in technology and daily life, such as in 密码 (mì mǎ, password), 号码 (hào mǎ, number), and 二维码 (èr wéi mǎ, QR code). In China, scanning QR codes is a daily habit for payments, menus, and tickets. The character also means "yard" as a unit of length (0.914 meters), used in some measurements.

Common words containing 码 include: 号码 (hào mǎ) — number; 密码 (mì mǎ) — password; code; 二维码 (èr wéi mǎ) — QR code..