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扪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
ménto stoke, to pat; to grope, to feeli, 6 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
ménlay hands onunknown, 6 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
ménto coverunknown, 6 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
mén(men2) T2
  1. 1to stoke, to pat; to grope, to feel
  2. 2lay hands on
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March 24, 2026
(捫)mén(men2)

The character 扪 (mén) means to touch or feel something, often with a sense of searching or groping. It can be used in both physical contexts, such as feeling for something in the dark, and metaphorical contexts, like exploring feelings or ideas. This word is commonly used in situations where one needs to examine or investigate through touch.

Strokes6RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'feeling' or 'touching' is essential during diagnosis, where practitioners often use their hands to gauge conditions, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Memory Tip

Imagine you’re in a dark room trying to find your way by feeling around with your hands. The character 扪 resembles a person with hands (扌) reaching out to touch and feel (门) the surroundings, helping you remember it means to 'grope' or 'pat'.

Meanings of 扪

mén(men2)
1to stoke, to pat; to grope, to feel
2lay hands on
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 扪

Simplified
Traditional
6Strokes
Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 扪

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 扪

Quick Contrast

抚 (fǔ) vs 扪 (mén): use 扪 when emphasizing a searching or groping action, while 抚 conveys a gentler, more soothing touch.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine you’re in a dark room trying to find your way by feeling around with your hands. The character 扪 resembles a person with hands (扌) reaching out to touch and feel (门) the surroundings, helping you remember it means to 'grope' or 'pat'.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 扪 with similar characters like 摸 (mō), which also means to touch but can imply a gentler action. This character is more formal and might be less commonly used in everyday spoken language. Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing the initial 'm' sound can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 扪 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other verbs that involve physical actions, such as 摸 (mō) and 拿 (ná). A focus on the nuances of these verbs will help students understand subtle differences in meaning and usage.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'feeling' or 'touching' is essential during diagnosis, where practitioners often use their hands to gauge conditions, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 扪 with 摸, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我想用扪来找我的手机' (Wǒ xiǎng yòng mén lái zhǎo wǒ de shǒujī) is incorrect; it should be '我想用摸来找我的手机' (Wǒ xiǎng yòng mō lái zhǎo wǒ de shǒujī).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扪

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Etymology of 扪

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 门 represents the sound. Simplified form of 捫.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 扪?

Decomposition of 扪

IDS Structure⿰扌门
Full Character
=
shou3
left
Men2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 扪?

Write 扪

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 扪

扪 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 3 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 2

Complete the Sentence

可____诊幽门如增厚的肌肉环.

The pylorus may be palpated as a thick ring of muscle.

Example Sentences for 扪 (1)

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1
可扪诊幽门如增厚的肌肉环.

kě mén zhěn yōu mén rú zēng hòu de jī ròu huán.

The pylorus may be palpated as a thick ring of muscle.

Cultural Notes for 扪

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'feeling' or 'touching' is essential during diagnosis, where practitioners often use their hands to gauge conditions, reflecting a holistic approach to health.

Word Family of 扪

Words Containing This Character3
扪心自问to ask oneself honestly捫心自問
ménto cover
扪心无愧lit. look into one's heart, no shame (idiom); with a clear conscience捫心無愧
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 扪心自问 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 扪

It is less commonly used in casual conversation and is more likely to appear in written or formal contexts.