Pronunciation family
Chinese characters for “mei”
30 characters share this plain syllable. Compare tone marks first, then open a character for writing and usage.
Tone by tone
Separate the sound family before memorizing characters
The same letters can represent different words when the tone changes.
2
Second tone
méi
没
méi
枚not, none, gone
7 strokes · HSK 2.0 L1méi
煤the stalk of a shrub, the trunk of a tree
8 strokes · HSK 3.0 L7-9méi
沒carbon, charcoal, coal, coke
13 strokes · HSK 3.0 L6méi
玫not, none, gone
7 strokesméi
眉rose
8 strokesméi
莓eyebrows
9 strokesméi
梅moss
10 strokesméi
脢plum
11 strokesméi
媒flesh
11 strokesméi
嵋go-between, matchmaker
12 strokesméi
湄the Omei mountain in Sichuan
12 strokesméi
猸bank, coast, shore
12 strokesméi
楣badger, ferret, mongoose
12 strokesméi
酶crossbar
13 strokesméi
镅enzyme
14 strokesméi
鹛americium
14 strokesméi
霉cormorant
14 strokesméi
黴mildew, mold, rot
15 strokesméi
bacteria, fungi, mold
23 strokes3
Third tone
měi
4
Fourth tone
mèi
Sound in context
Words using this pronunciation family
Move from isolated sounds into useful vocabulary.