How to Write 末 (mò) — Meaning “End / Tip / Powder”

Think of a tree (木) with a horizontal line drawn across its top to mark the highest branch — that is the 'tip' or 'end'. This visual trick helps you remember that 末 means 'end' because the line shows where the tree ends.

The top horizontal stroke is shorter than the second horizontal stroke, and the vertical line goes through both but does not extend above the top line. Common mistake: making the top stroke too long or extending the vertical above the top — that would make it look like 未 instead.

Compared to 木 (tree), 末 has an extra horizontal line on top. Compared to 未 (not yet), the vertical line in 末 stops at the top horizontal, while in 未 the vertical extends slightly above the top horizontal. Also, 末 means 'end', 未 means 'not yet'.

末 appears in everyday words for time periods, such as 周末 (weekend), 期末 (end of semester), and 月末 (end of month). It is also used in the term 末日 (doomsday), which describes the end of the world.

Common words containing 末 include: 周末 (zhōu mò) — weekend; 期末 (qī mò) — End of term; end of semester; 月末 (yuè mò) — end of the month.