Meanings of 麼
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 麼
Podcast: 麼
Podcast: 麼
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 麼
'麼' is primarily used in informal contexts and is often omitted in more formal speech. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with '吗' (ma), which is also a question particle but used differently. A common collocation is '怎麼' (zěnme), meaning 'how'.
Although '麼' is not assigned an HSK level, it is frequently used in conjunction with basic question words in HSK 1 and 2, such as '何' (hé) and '什麼' (shénme). Focus on its use in forming questions and its placement in sentences.
Learners often mistakenly use '麼' as a standalone question, whereas it should follow a phrase or word. For example, '你要什麼?' is correct, while '你要麼?' is not.
Pronunciation of 麼
Drill the tone of 麼 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Etymology of 麼
Variant form of 幺. In simplified Chinese 么 is also used to mean "[particle]", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 麼.
one
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 麼
Variant form of 幺. In simplified Chinese 么 is also used to mean "[particle]", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 麼.
- 1The meaning half幺 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half麻 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayone
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 麼? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 麼?
Decomposition of 麼
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 麼?
How to say interrogative particle in Chinese
“interrogative particle” in Chinese is麼
The character '麼' (me) is an interrogative particle used to form questions in Mandarin. It often appears at the end of a sentence, adding an element of inquiry, similar to the English question words 'what' or 'which'. It can also express surprise or emphasis, depending on the context.
When to use 麼
'麼' is primarily used in informal contexts and is often omitted in more formal speech. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with '吗' (ma), which is also a question particle but used differently. A common collocation is '怎麼' (zěnme), meaning 'how'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use '麼' as a standalone question, whereas it should follow a phrase or word. For example, '你要什麼?' is correct, while '你要麼?' is not.
Write 麼
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 麼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 麼
Compound Meaning
What does 什么 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 麼
'麼' is used in more informal contexts and often appears with other question words, while '吗' is used to turn statements into yes/no questions.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 麼?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.