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牟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
móuto profit, to usurp; moonr, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móusurname Mouunknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móuto moounknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móuto seek or obtainunknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móuold variant of 侔[mou2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móuold variant of 眸[mou2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
to profit, to usurp; moonr, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
surname Mouunknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
to moounknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
to seek or obtainunknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
old variant of 侔[mou2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
old variant of 眸[mou2]unknown, 6 strokes, radical 牛, rank #48637, Very Hard
móu(Mou2)
primary
T2
  1. 1to profit, to usurp; moo
  2. 2to moo
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
móu(Mou2)

The character 牟 (móu) primarily means to seek or obtain something, often in the context of profit or gain. It can also refer to the act of usurping or taking something that does not belong to one. In modern usage, it is less common, but its implications of acquisition and benefit are still relevant in discussions of business and trade.

Strokes6RadicalFrequency#48637DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of profit often ties closely to traditional values of hard work and resourcefulness. The character 牟 reflects this cultural emphasis on seeking opportunities and gaining benefits through effort.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cow (the radical 牟 resembles a cow) that is mooing (the pronunciation 'móu' sounds like 'moo') as it seeks fresh grass to profit from. The cow represents the idea of obtaining something valuable, making it easier to remember the meaning.

Meanings of 牟

móu(Mou2)
primary
1to profit, to usurp; moo
2to moo
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 牟

Simplified
6Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 牟

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 牟

Quick Contrast

获取 (huòqǔ, obtain) — use 牟 when emphasizing the aspect of seeking or striving for something, especially in a context involving profit.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a cow (the radical 牟 resembles a cow) that is mooing (the pronunciation 'móu' sounds like 'moo') as it seeks fresh grass to profit from. The cow represents the idea of obtaining something valuable, making it easier to remember the meaning.

Usage Notes

牟 is often used in a formal context, particularly in business or legal discussions. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words, so attention to tone is important. Common collocations include 牟利 (móu lì, to make a profit) and 牟取 (móu qǔ, to seek gain).

HSK Study Tips

Although 牟 is not an HSK level word, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to business and economics. Students should focus on its usage in phrases and context to better grasp its meaning and application.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of profit often ties closely to traditional values of hard work and resourcefulness. The character 牟 reflects this cultural emphasis on seeking opportunities and gaining benefits through effort.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 牟 with similar characters such as 侔 (móu) or 眸 (móu), which have different meanings. For example, using 牟 in a context meant for 侔, like saying 牟同 (móu tóng) instead of 侔同 (móu tóng) for 'to be equal' is a common error.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 牟

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Etymology of 牟

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

ox

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 牟?

Decomposition of 牟

IDS Structure⿱厶牛
Full Character
=
mou3
top
Niu2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 牟?

Write 牟

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 牟

牟 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 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 3

Complete the Sentence

悉达多·高多玛(释迦____尼之俗姓)抓住了智慧的闪现?

Could the flash of wisdom that came over Siddhartha Gautama?

Example Sentences for 牟 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
悉达多·高多玛(释迦牟尼之俗姓)抓住了智慧的闪现?

xī dá duō· · gāo duō( mǎ ( shì jiā móu ní zhī) sú xìng ) zhuā zhù le zhì huì?

Could the flash of wisdom that came over Siddhartha Gautama?
2
他们一直人为地使糖的价格居高不下,以此为公司牟利。

tā mén yī zhí rén wéi dì shǐ táng de jià gé jū gāo bù xià, , yǐ cǐ wéi gōng sī móu。

They have kept the price of sugar artificially high and so fattened the company's profits.
3
乘物资缺乏牟取暴利是不对的.

chéng wù zī quē fá móu qǔ bào lì shì bù duì de.

Profiteering in a time of shortage is wrong.

Cultural Notes for 牟

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of profit often ties closely to traditional values of hard work and resourcefulness. The character 牟 reflects this cultural emphasis on seeking opportunities and gaining benefits through effort.

Word Family of 牟

Words Containing This Character12
牟利to exploit
móubarley
牟取暴利to profiteer
牟取to exploit
释迦牟尼Sakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit: sage of the Sakya)釋迦牟尼
中牟Zhongmu county in Zhengzhou 鄭州|郑州[Zhèng​zhōu], Henan
中牟县Zhongmou county in Zhengzhou 鄭州|郑州[Zhèng​zhōu], Henan中牟縣
牟平Muping district of Yantai city 煙台市|烟台市, Shandong
牟平区Muping district of Yantai city 煙台市|烟台市, Shandong牟平區
牟定县Mouding county in Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture 楚雄彞族自治州|楚雄彝族自治州[Chǔ​xióng​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Yunnan牟定縣
牟定Mouding county in Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture 楚雄彞族自治州|楚雄彝族自治州[Chǔ​xióng​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Yunnan
释迦牟尼佛Sakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit: sage of the Sakya)釋迦牟尼佛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 牟利 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 牟

No, 牟 is more often found in written contexts, especially relating to business or legal matters.