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March 24, 2026
谋(謀)móu(mou2)
谋 (móu) refers to the act of planning or scheming, often with a connotation of strategizing for a specific goal. It is commonly used in contexts involving careful consideration or manipulation, whether in personal, business, or political scenarios. The character can imply both positive planning and negative scheming, depending on the context.
Strokes11Radical讠Frequency#7611DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '谋' is deeply rooted in historical texts like 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, which emphasizes strategic planning in both warfare and business.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wise old man (the character 谷, meaning 'valley' is often associated with wisdom) sitting in a valley, plotting his next move on a chessboard. The '谋' (móu) suggests 'move' and 'plan,' so visualize him making strategic maneuvers to win the game.
Meanings of 谋
móu(mou2)
1to plan
2to seek
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 谋
谋Simplified
謀Traditional
11Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7611Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 谋
Podcast: 谋
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AI Study Notes for 谋
Quick Contrast
谋 (móu) vs 策 (cè): choose 谋 when emphasizing strategic planning or manipulation, while 策 focuses more on the method or plan itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a wise old man (the character 谷, meaning 'valley' is often associated with wisdom) sitting in a valley, plotting his next move on a chessboard. The '谋' (móu) suggests 'move' and 'plan,' so visualize him making strategic maneuvers to win the game.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 谋 with similar-sounding words. It is typically used in formal contexts, especially in discussions of strategy or planning. Be careful with the tone; 'móu' is pronounced with a rising tone, which can be easily confused with other tones if not practiced.
HSK Study Tips
Though not in the official HSK list, '谋' can be linked to other action verbs at the same level, such as '做' (zuò, to do) and '想' (xiǎng, to think). Students should focus on using it in sentences that clarify its strategic nuances.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '谋' is deeply rooted in historical texts like 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, which emphasizes strategic planning in both warfare and business.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '谋' with '目' (mù, meaning 'eye') due to similar pronunciation. An incorrect example is saying '我谋了' (wǒ mú le) instead of '我谋划了' (wǒ móu huà le) to indicate planning something.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 谋
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Grammar Patterns of 谋
谋 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
培养年轻球员应该是所有俱乐部____求发展之道。
Young players have got to be the way forward for every club.
The MP described the killings as a blasphemy before God.
5
从一开始我就看穿了你的小计谋。
cóng yī kāi shǐ wǒ jiù kàn chuān le nǐ de xiǎo jì móu。
I saw through your little ruse from the start.
6
他因谋杀一名地方法官而被通缉。
tā yīn móu shā yī míng dì fāng fǎ guān ér bèi tōng jī。
He was wanted for the murder of a magistrate.
7
他被控谋划妨碍司法公正。
tā bèi kòng móu huá fáng ài sī fǎ gōng zhèng。
He was charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
8
起初，他幸好不知道那些针对他的阴谋。
qǐ chū， ， tā xìng hǎo bù zhī dào nà xiē zhēn duì tā de yīn。
At first, he was blissfully unaware of the conspiracy against him.
9
有13名男子因谋杀案受到盘问。
yǒu13 13 míng nán zǐ yīn móu shā àn shòu dào pán。
13 men have been questioned in connection with the murder.
10
这一证据证实了他们的观点，即此次突发暴力事件是有预谋的。
zhè yī zhèng jù zhèng shí le tā mén de guān diǎn， ， jí cǐ cì tū fā bào lì shì jiàn shì yǒu yù móu。
This evidence supports their contention that the outbreak of violence was prearranged.
Cultural Notes for 谋
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of '谋' is deeply rooted in historical texts like 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu, which emphasizes strategic planning in both warfare and business.
Word Family of 谋
Words Containing This Character20
谋杀to murder謀殺
阴谋yīnmóuplot陰謀
谋móuto plan謀
谋杀案murder case謀殺案
谋求móuqiúto seek謀求
张艺谋Zhang Yimou (1950-), PRC film director張藝謀
参谋cānmóustaff officer參謀
谋生móushēngto seek one's livelihood謀生
谋取to seek謀取
预谋premeditated預謀
谋划to scheme謀劃
参谋长chief of staff參謀長
谋杀罪murder謀殺罪
同谋to plot同謀
图谋to conspire圖謀
密谋conspiracy密謀
共谋to conspire共謀
出谋划策to give advice (idiom)出謀劃策
合谋to conspire合謀
计谋stratagem計謀
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 谋杀 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 谋
'谋' can have both positive and negative connotations depending on the context; it can refer to constructive planning or manipulative scheming.
You can say '他在谋划一个新项目' (tā zài móu huà yī gè xīn xiàngmù), meaning 'He is planning a new project.'
Synonyms include '计划' (jìhuà, to plan) and '策划' (cèhuà, to strategize).
