How to Write 膜 (mó) — Meaning “membrane; film”

Imagine your face covered in a "membrane" — a facial mask (面膜) that feels like "more" (sounds like mó) moisture on your skin. The left ⺼ reminds you it's part of the body, and the right 莫 can be thought of as "don't" remove it yet.

The left ⺼ must be written with 3 strokes (撇, 横折钩, 横) and should be narrow. The right 莫 has 11 strokes: start with the grass radical 艹, then write 曰 (two vertical lines inside), then 大 — be careful not to connect the 曰 too closely to 大. The overall character is left-right balanced.

All three share the ⺼ radical, but 脾 (pí) means "spleen" and has 卑 (humble) on the right, while 腔 (qiāng) means "cavity" and has 空 (empty). 膜 specifically means a thin layer or film — like skin membrane or plastic wrap — not an organ or a hollow space.

You see 膜 often in everyday items: 面膜 (miàn mó) for facial masks, 贴膜 (tiē mó) for screen protectors, and 耳膜 (ěr mó) for eardrum. In Chinese skincare culture, 面膜 is a popular beauty product; 贴膜 is common for phone protection.

Common words containing 膜 include: 面膜 (miàn mó) — Facial mask; 贴膜 (tiē mó) — Apply a film (e.g., screen protector); 耳膜 (ěr mó) — eardrum.