How to Write 莫 (mò) — Meaning “not; do not; none”

Imagine the grass (艹) covering the sun (日) so it becomes "big" (大) and dark – meaning "do not" go out. This visual helps you recall that 莫 means "do not" or "none."

Write the grass radical (艹) wide enough to cover the middle part. The 日 (sun) should be narrow and centered, and the final stroke of 大 (big) must cross through the middle of 日 without touching the top grass.

兹 (zī) means "now" or "this" and has a 䒑 (two dots) instead of 艹 on top, while 苑 (yuàn) means "garden" and adds a 豸 (animal) below. 莫 uses 艹 + 日 + 大, giving it a distinct structure and meaning of negation.

莫 is a formal or literary word meaning "do not," often seen in fixed phrases like 莫非 (could it be) and 莫名其妙 (baffling). It appears in warnings or proverbs, such as 莫生气 (don't get angry), adding a classical tone.

Common words containing 莫 include: 莫非 (mò fēi) — could it be that; is it possible that; 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) — baffling; without rhyme or reason; 莫生气 (mò shēng qì) — don't get angry.