Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
蓦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蓦mòsuddenly, quickly, abruptlyd, 13 strokes, radical 马
蓦mòleap on or overunknown, 13 strokes, radical 马
mò(mo4)mo T4
  1. 1suddenly, quickly, abruptly
  2. 2leap on or over
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蓦(驀)mò(mo4)

The character 蓦 (mò) conveys the meaning of something occurring suddenly or abruptly. It is often used to describe unexpected actions or events that happen quickly, giving a sense of surprise or immediacy.

Strokes13Radical马
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, the use of 蓦 often evokes a moment of sudden realization or insight, reflecting the importance of unexpected moments in Chinese philosophical thought, particularly in Daoism.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sudden leap over a fence (蓦) that catches everyone off guard. The character has a plant radical (艹) at the top, symbolizing growth or life, while the bottom part (莫) suggests something that is not (or suddenly). Envision a plant jumping up unexpectedly to represent the suddenness.

Meanings of 蓦

mò(mo4)
1suddenly, quickly, abruptly
2leap on or over
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 蓦 means.

About 蓦

蓦Simplified
驀Traditional
13Strokes
马Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蓦

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蓦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蓦

Quick Contrast

突 (tū) — use 蓦 (mò) for sudden occurrences that evoke surprise, while 突 (tū) emphasizes the abruptness or sharpness of the action.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 蓦 is pronounced with a falling tone (mò), which can change the meaning entirely. It is often used in literary or dramatic contexts, so it may not be commonly used in everyday conversations. Collocations include phrases like 蓦然回首 (suddenly looking back).

HSK Study Tips

Although 蓦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to the concept of suddenness found in other HSK words like 突然 (tūrán). Focus on recognizing its usage in literature and poetry, where its impact is more pronounced.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 蓦 with similar-sounding words due to the tone, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 'mā' instead of 'mò' can result in a completely different meaning. Pay attention to the falling tone to avoid this error.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蓦

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 蓦 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 蓦 to You

Let me explain 蓦 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 蓦 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 蓦?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 蓦 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 蓦

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

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 莫 represents the sound. Simplified form of 驀.

Memory Hint

horse

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

Origin

蓦 = 马 + 莫. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蓦

IDS Structure⿱莫马
蓦Full Character
=
莫Mo4
top
马Ma3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蓦?

How to say suddenly, quickly, abruptly in Chinese

“suddenly, quickly, abruptly” in Chinese is蓦mò

The character 蓦 (mò) conveys the meaning of something occurring suddenly or abruptly. It is often used to describe unexpected actions or events that happen quickly, giving a sense of surprise or immediacy.

When to use 蓦

Be cautious with the tone; 蓦 is pronounced with a falling tone (mò), which can change the meaning entirely. It is often used in literary or dramatic contexts, so it may not be commonly used in everyday conversations. Collocations include phrases like 蓦然回首 (suddenly looking back).

蓦 or something close to it

突 (tū) — use 蓦 (mò) for sudden occurrences that evoke surprise, while 突 (tū) emphasizes the abruptness or sharpness of the action.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 蓦 with similar-sounding words due to the tone, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 'mā' instead of 'mò' can result in a completely different meaning. Pay attention to the falling tone to avoid this error.

Write 蓦

蓦

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 蓦?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 蓦

Words Containing This Character3
蓦然suddenly驀然
蓦地suddenly驀地
蓦mòsuddenly驀
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 蓦

What does 蓦然 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蓦

You can say, '他蓦地出现了', which means 'He appeared suddenly.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蓦?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab