How to Write 咪 (mī) — Meaning “meow; kitty”

Imagine a cat sitting next to a bowl of rice (米) and opening its mouth (口) to say 'meow'. The rice reminds you of the 'mi' sound, and the mouth shows it is a sound. This visual of a cat meowing near food can help you recall both the meaning and pronunciation.

咪 has 9 strokes: first write the left radical 口 (3 strokes), then the right side 米 (6 strokes). A common mistake is writing the vertical stroke of 米 too long or crossing the top horizontal; keep the center of 米 aligned with the middle of 口. Also, ensure the dot at the center of 米 is placed correctly, not too high or low.

咪 uses the mouth radical 口 and means 'meow' or 'kitty', while 君 (jūn) means 'lord' or 'gentleman' and has a different right component (尹). 吝 (lìn) means 'stingy' and has 口 on top with 文 below. Visually, 咪 has 米 on the right, whereas 君 and 吝 have completely different shapes. Their meanings and pronunciations are unrelated.

咪 is most commonly used in the word 猫咪 (māo mī), meaning 'kitty' or 'cat', often in an affectionate or childlike way. It also appears in 咪咪 (mī mī) to imitate a cat's meow or as a cute name for a pet. The word 笑咪咪 (xiào mī mī) means 'smilingly', describing a cheerful expression like a smiling cat.

Common words containing 咪 include: 猫咪 (māo mī) — kitty; 咪咪 (mī mī) — kitty; meow-meow; 笑咪咪 (xiào mī mī) — Smilingly.