How to write 么 (me, “suffix”)
么, an HSK 1 character, is read me for “suffix”, and also má (“exclamatory final particle”) and ma (“interrogative final particle”). The traditional form is 麼, 14 strokes instead of 3. Among the HSK words it appears in 什么 (“what?”), 怎么 (“how?”) and 怎么样 (“how?”). Japanese reads it eu, “interrogative particle”.
- Pinyin
- me, má, ma
- Strokes
- 3
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 丿 (“slash”)
- Traditional
- 麼
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
As a top-bottom character it splits into 丿 (“slash”, the radical), stroke 1; 厶 (“private”), strokes 2–3, written the top first.
- topdown and left
- topdown and left → rightwards
- rightdown and right
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 么 · 3 strokes
- Traditional
- 麼 · 14 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
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Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| me neutral tone | suffix, used to form interrogative 什么 (shénme), what?, indefinite 这么 (zhème) thus, etc | 麼 | 什么 怎么 怎么样 这么 |
| má second tone | exclamatory final particle | 麼 | — |
| ma neutral tone | interrogative final particle | 麼 | — |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 1 word
- Words with it
- 39 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 么
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 什么 什麼 | shénme | what?; something HSK 1 |
| 怎么 怎麼 | zěnme | how?; what? HSK 1 |
| 怎么样 怎麼樣 | zěnmeyàng | how?; how about? HSK 1 |
| 这么 這麼 | zhème | so much; this much HSK 2 |
| 那么 那麼 | nàme | like that; in that way HSK 2 |
| 为什么 為什麼 | wèishénme | why?; for what reason? HSK 2 |
| 怎么办 怎麼辦 | zěnmebàn | what's to be done HSK 3 |
| 多么 多麼 | duōme | how (wonderful etc); what (a great idea etc) HSK 4 |
| 要么 要麼 | yàome | or; either one or the other HSK 6 |
| 不怎么 不怎麼 | bùzěnme | not very; not particularly |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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HSK 1, in list order: