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毛 (máo) — (noun) hair, fur, feathers, wool; (noun) mildew, mold; (classifier) for a fractional monetary unit = one-tenth of a yuan (一角)

Definition

毛 is a general word for 'hair/fur/feathers/wool' on animals — broader than 头发, which is only human head hair. Also a classifier for one-tenth of a yuan (一角) and a word for mildew/mold.

noun
hairfurfeatherswoolmildewmold
classifier
for a fractional monetary unit = one-tenth of a yuan (一角)

Examples

  • 毛。
    Zhè zhī māo de máo hěn ruǎn.
    This cat's fur is very soft.
  • 毛。
    Miàn bāo shàng cháng le máo.
    The bread has grown mold.
  • 毛。
    Zhè zhī bǐ huā le wǔ máo qián.
    This pen cost five mao (fifty fen).

Origin

Pictograph
六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíng

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3HSK 2.0 Level 5Body PartsMoney & Currency2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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