吗 (ma) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 吗 (ma) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 吗 (ma) means "question particle". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 6 strokes and the radical 口.

Q: How do you write 吗 stroke by stroke?

吗 has 6 strokes. The radical is 口. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 吗 and 卟?

吗 (ma) and 卟 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 吗?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 口. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 吗?

Common words containing 吗 include: 好吗 (hǎo ma) — Okay? / Is that alright?; 是吗 (shì ma) — Is that so?; 去吗 (qù ma) — Are you going?.

How to Write 吗

The character 吗 (ma) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 口 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.

Meaning & Pronunciation

吗 is pronounced ma in Mandarin Chinese. It means question particle.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: ma, mǎ.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 吗 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 吗

好吗 hǎo ma

Okay? / Is that alright?

是吗 shì ma

Is that so?

去吗 qù ma

Are you going?

吗啡 mǎ fēi

Morphine

Example Sentences

我们去公园好吗？

wǒ men qù gōng yuán hǎo ma

Shall we go to the park?

是吗？我不知道。

shì ma wǒ bù zhī dào

Really? I didn't know.

你明天去吗？

nǐ míng tiān qù ma

Are you going tomorrow?

吗啡是一种强效止痛药。

mǎ fēi shì yī zhǒng qiáng xiào zhǐ tòng yào

Morphine is a powerful painkiller.

Similar Characters

卟 bǔ

古 gǔ

句 gōu

Practice Writing 吗 (ma)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 吗

What does 吗 (ma) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 吗 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 吗 and 卟?

What mistakes do learners make writing 吗?

What common words use 吗?

How to Write 吗 (ma)