牡 Stroke Order — How to Write 牡

Stroke Order

牡 is written in 7 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 牛, then complete the remaining strokes.

Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.

牡 Radical and Character Components

Components:牛土

牡 is a phono-semantic compound: 牛 (ox) carries the meaning, while 土 indicates the sound.

Radical: 牛 + 3 more strokes

牡 Pronunciation and Pinyin

Meanings of 牡 in Chinese

mǔ牡

Male (referring to birds, beasts, or plants); opposite to '牝' (female). For example, '牡牛' (bull).

这头牡牛体格健壮，是农场的骄傲。

This bull is strong and robust; it is the pride of the farm.

In the context of '牡钥' (mǔyào), '牡' (mǔ) refers to the 'male' part of a key or a locking mechanism, specifically the projection or bolt that engages with the lock.

这把钥匙的牡部有些磨损，插入锁孔时有些困难。

The male part of this key is a bit worn, making it difficult to insert into the keyhole.

When pronounced mǔ, '牡' can refer to a small hill or mound, often found in ancient or poetic contexts.

村庄背后有一座形状独特的牡，像一位巨人安详地睡着。

Behind the village, there is a uniquely shaped mound, like a giant sleeping peacefully.

Common Words and Phrases with 牡

mǔ牡dān丹

Peony.

春天，花园里的牡丹盛开了，芬芳扑鼻。

In spring, the peonies in the garden bloomed, filling the air with their fragrance.

mǔ牡lì蛎

A marine bivalve mollusk with a rough, irregular shell, typically found attached to rocks or other surfaces in shallow coastal waters and estuaries, widely consumed as food.