How to Write 貘 (mò) — Meaning “tapir”

Imagine a tapir sleeping in a dark forest at night, and remember that the right side 莫 contains 日 (sun) and 大 (big) — but the sun is hidden, so it is 莫 meaning "not" or "do not." So you can think: "Do not (莫) disturb the sleeping tapir (豸)." This connects the animal to the idea of rest and the word's components.

The left radical 豸 has 7 strokes: start with the top dot, then the curved hook, then three short strokes inside the curve, and finally two legs. The right part 莫 has 10 strokes: the top grass radical (艹) is three strokes, then 日 (four strokes), and finally 大 (three strokes). A common mistake is making the left radical too narrow or forgetting the small strokes inside the curve.

貘 (mò) means tapir, a real animal, while 貔 (pí) refers to a mythical fierce beast in Chinese legends, often paired with 貅 (xiū) as 貔貅 for wealth and protection. Visually, 貘 has 莫 on the right, whereas 貔 has 卑 (bēi) on the right. They share the same left radical 豸 but have very different meanings and usage.

貘 appears mostly in zoological contexts for tapir species like 马来貘 (Malayan tapir) and in folklore as 食梦貘, a mythical creature believed to eat nightmares. In modern daily language it is rare, but it is well-known in anime and manga culture from Japan's Baku. Chinese speakers may recognize it from zoo exhibits or fantasy stories.

Common words containing 貘 include: 食梦貘 (shí mèng mò) — Baku (dream-eating mythical creature); 马来貘 (mǎ lái mò) — Malayan tapir; 山貘 (shān mò) — Mountain tapir.