Learn a Chinese Character - 么

1. Character Basics

Radical: 丿 (pie)

Stroke Count: 3

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: me/yāo/mó

3. Meaning

Particle used in questions or to soften tone; what; how; so; (in some dialects) one tenth; youngest/smallest (when pronounced "yāo")

4. Common Words

• 什么 (shén me) - What
• 怎么 (zěn me) - How
• 多么 (duō me) - How (emphasizing degree)
• 要么 (yào me) - Either...or...
• 这么 (zhè me) - So; this way
• 那么 (nà me) - So; that way
• 么么 (me me) - Kiss sound (slang)
• 幺妹 (yāo mèi) - Younger sister (in some dialects)

5. Grammar & Usage

The character "么" is primarily used as a grammatical particle in modern Chinese. It is most commonly seen in question words like "什么" (shén me) and "怎么" (zěn me). It can also be used to soften the tone of a sentence. When pronounced as "yāo", it is used in some dialects to mean "youngest" or "smallest", as in "幺妹" (yāo mèi) meaning "youngest sister".

6. Cultural Background

The character "么" has evolved over time and is now primarily used as a particle rather than having an independent meaning. It is a common component in everyday conversational Chinese, making it an important character for language learners to master. The pronunciation "yāo" for "么" is often used in Chinese dialects, particularly in southern China, to refer to the youngest child in a family.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "么" has only 3 strokes, making it easy to write. You can remember its meaning by associating it with common question words like "什么" (shén me) and "怎么" (zěn me). The shape of the character resembles a small particle, which matches its function as a grammatical particle.