毫 (háo) — (measure word) one thousandth (used in metric units); (measure word) a tiny bit; the least (used in negative expressions as intensifier)

Definition

毫 is a thousandth — used as a metric prefix (毫米 millimeter, 毫克 milligram, 毫升 milliliter), and in negative phrases as an intensifier meaning 'the least / at all' (e.g. 丝毫不, 毫无).

classifier
one thousandth (used in metric units)a tiny bitthe least (used in negative expressions as intensifier)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Tā duì zhè jiàn shì háo bù zhī qíng.
    He knows nothing at all about this matter.
  • 。
    Shí yàn yāo qiú jīng què dào yì sī yì háo.
    The experiment requires accuracy down to the tiniest bit.
  • 。
    Zhè tiáo chóng zi zhǐ yǒu wǔ háo mǐ cháng.
    This worm is only five millimeters long.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The written form 毫 is built from 高 and 毛.

Appears in
Measure WordsQuantity & Amount

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