How to write 吗 (ma, “question particle”)
吗, an HSK 1 character, is read ma for “question particle”, and also má (“what?”). The traditional form is 嗎, 13 strokes instead of 6. On its own it is an HSK 1 word, and it forms 吗哪 (“manna (Israelite food)”), 不是吗 (“isn't that so?”) and 吗啡 (“morphine (loanword)”). Japanese keeps the traditional 嗎, read ba (“final interrogative particle”).
- Pinyin
- ma, má
- Strokes
- 6
- HSK
- 1
- Radical
- 口 (“mouth”)
- Traditional
- 嗎
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
As a left-right character it splits into 口 (“mouth”, the radical), strokes 1–3; 马 (“horse”), strokes 4–6, written the left part first.
- top leftdownwards
- top leftrightwards → downwards
- leftrightwards
- toprightwards → downwards
- topdownwards → rightwards → downwards
- bottom leftrightwards
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 吗 · 6 strokes
- Traditional
- 嗎 · 13 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| ma neutral tone | (question particle for "yes-no" questions) | 嗎 | 不是吗 |
| má second tone | (coll.) what? | 嗎 | — |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 1
- 2021 standard
- level 1
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 1 word
- Words with it
- 5 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 吗
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 吗 嗎 | ma | question particle for "yes-no" questions HSK 1 |
| 吗哪 嗎哪 | mǎnǎ | manna (Israelite food) |
| 不是吗 不是嗎 | bùshìma | isn't that so? |
| 吗啡 嗎啡 | mǎfēi | morphine (loanword) |
| 吗啉 嗎啉 | mǎlín | morpholine (chemistry) (loanword) |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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HSK 1, in list order: