How to Write 毋 (wú) — Meaning “Do not; no; not.”

Imagine a mother (母) with a red 'no' symbol slashed through her chest, because 毋 looks like 母 but with a horizontal line crossing the top. This visual helps you recall that 毋 means 'do not' or 'no'. The missing dot in 毋 compared to 母 also hints at something forbidden.

Start with the left horizontal stroke, then the right hook, then the inner strokes—pay attention that the final vertical stroke does not extend below the bottom horizontal. A common mistake is confusing it with 母 (mǔ, mother), but 毋 has only 4 strokes and lacks the two dots inside. Write the strokes in order: horizontal, hook, left-falling, vertical.

A frequent phrase is 毋庸 (wú yōng), meaning 'needless' or 'no need to', often used in formal advice like '毋庸担忧' (no need to worry). Another is 宁缺毋滥 (nìng quē wú làn), an idiom meaning 'rather go without than have something shoddy', used when emphasizing quality over quantity. These expressions are common in written Chinese and formal speech.

毋 is a formal or literary negation word, not used in casual conversation like 不 (bù). It appears in idioms, written instructions, and classical-influenced phrases such as 毋庸置疑 (beyond doubt). Culturally, 毋 carries an authoritative or advisory tone, reminiscent of ancient prohibitions or proverbs.

Common words containing 毋 include: 毋庸 (wú yōng) — Needless; no need to.; 毋宁 (wú nìng) — Would rather; rather.; 宁缺毋滥 (nìng quē wú làn) — Better to go without than to have something of poor quality..