How to Write 旄 (máo) — Meaning “ancient banner with yak tail”

Picture a square flag (方) with long, flowing yak hair (毛) tied to its top. The hair waves in the wind like a bushy tail. Remember: 'A flag with fur = máo banner.'

The left component 方 is written with the dot first, then horizontal stroke, then the hook, and finally the left-falling stroke. The right component 毛 has the horizontal strokes slightly angled upward, and the last stroke is a curved hook, not a straight one. A common mistake is making the right side 毛 too wide — keep it narrow and compact.

旄 (máo) has 毛 on the right, meaning a yak-tail banner. 施 (shī) has 也 on the right and means 'to carry out' or 'to apply.' 斿 (yóu) has 㫃 on the right (an old variant of 旒) and often refers to a pennant or streamer. Visually, 旄 is the only one with the 'hair' component 毛 on the right side.

旄 is rarely used alone today; it appears mainly in classical or literary references. It survives in set phrases like 旄倪 (the old and young) and 旄头 (a star cluster or banner top). Historically, banners with yak tails were symbols of authority in ancient Chinese armies.

Common words containing 旄 include: 旄倪 (máo ní) — the old and the young; 旄头 (máo tóu) — Pleiades (star cluster); banner top; 旄麾 (máo huī) — signaling banner.