猫 (māo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 猫 (māo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 猫 (māo) means "cat". It is an HSK Level 2 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 犭.

Q: How do you write 猫 stroke by stroke?

猫 has 11 strokes. The radical is 犭. 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 猫 and 狊?

猫 (māo) and 狊 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 猫?

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

Q: What common words use 猫?

Common words containing 猫 include: 小猫 (xiǎo māo) — Kitten; 熊猫 (xióng māo) — Panda; 猫粮 (māo liáng) — cat food.

How to Write 猫

The character 猫 (māo) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 犭 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

猫 is pronounced māo in Mandarin Chinese. It means cat.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 猫 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 猫

小猫 xiǎo māo

Kitten

熊猫 xióng māo

Panda

猫粮 māo liáng

cat food

Example Sentences

我家有一只小猫。

wǒ jiā yǒu yī zhī xiǎo māo

My family has a kitten.

熊猫是中国国宝。

xióng māo shì zhōng guó guó bǎo

Pandas are China's national treasure.

我去超市买猫粮。

wǒ qù chāo shì mǎi māo liáng

I'm going to the supermarket to buy cat food.

Similar Characters

狊 jú

狠 hěn

狡 jiǎo

Practice Writing 猫 (māo)

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

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 猫

What does 猫 (māo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 猫 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 猫 and 狊?

What mistakes do learners make writing 猫?

What common words use 猫?

How to Write 猫 (māo)