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铆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
铆mǎorivetzg, 10 strokes, radical 钅, rank #80028, Very Hard
铆mǎoto fasten with rivetsunknown, 10 strokes, radical 钅, rank #80028, Very Hard
铆mǎo(coll.) to exert one's strengthunknown, 10 strokes, radical 钅, rank #80028, Very Hard
mǎo(mao3) T3
  1. 1rivet
  2. 2to fasten with rivets
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

铆(鉚)mǎo(mao3)

The character 铆 (mǎo) primarily refers to a 'rivet'—a metal pin used to fasten materials together securely. It can also mean 'to fasten with rivets' in a more technical context, and informally, it can imply 'to exert one's strength' in an effortful manner.

Strokes10Radical钅Frequency#80028DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese craftsmanship, riveting was a crucial technique in building structures like bridges and temples, highlighting the importance of strength and durability in Chinese architecture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong worker named Mao who is riveting two metal sheets together. The character 铆 looks like a person (亻) using a tool (上下) to fasten materials, emphasizing strength and fastening.

Meanings of 铆

mǎo(mao3)
1rivet
2to fasten with rivets
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 铆

铆Simplified
鉚Traditional
10Strokes
钅Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 铆

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Podcast: 铆

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 铆

Usage Notes

This character is used mainly in technical contexts dealing with construction or metalwork. Be cautious about the tone; it is pronounced with a third tone (mǎo), which is often mispronounced as the second tone (máo). Collocations include '铆钉' (rivet) and '铆接' (to rivet together).

HSK Study Tips

Although not part of the HSK vocabulary, learning 铆 can enhance your understanding of related terms in technical fields. Focus on the radicals and their meanings as they often appear in similar contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 铆 (mǎo) with the similar sounding word 毛 (máo), which means 'hair' or 'fur.' Remember that 铆 specifically relates to fastening. A wrong example would be saying '我需要毛来固定这个' (I need hair to fix this), instead use '我需要铆来固定这个' (I need rivets to fix this).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 铆

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Etymology of 铆

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

metal

Semantic (meaning)钅
+
Phonetic (sound)卯
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 铆

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卯 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 铆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 铆?

Decomposition of 铆

IDS Structure⿰钅卯
铆Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
卯mao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 铆?

How to say rivet in Chinese

“rivet” in Chinese is铆mǎo

The character 铆 (mǎo) primarily refers to a 'rivet'—a metal pin used to fasten materials together securely. It can also mean 'to fasten with rivets' in a more technical context, and informally, it can imply 'to exert one's strength' in an effortful manner.

When to use 铆

This character is used mainly in technical contexts dealing with construction or metalwork. Be cautious about the tone; it is pronounced with a third tone (mǎo), which is often mispronounced as the second tone (máo). Collocations include '铆钉' (rivet) and '铆接' (to rivet together).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 铆 (mǎo) with the similar sounding word 毛 (máo), which means 'hair' or 'fur.' Remember that 铆 specifically relates to fastening. A wrong example would be saying '我需要毛来固定这个' (I need hair to fix this), instead use '我需要铆来固定这个' (I need rivets to fix this).

Write 铆

铆

Practice writing 铆 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 铆

铆 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

请把那____钉铆直.

Straighten the rivets, please.

Example Sentences for 铆 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
请把那铆钉铆直.

qǐng bǎ nà mǎo dīng mǎo zhí.

Straighten the rivets, please.
2
铆工把薄金属板铆在船底上.

mǎo gōng bǎ báo jīn shǔ bǎn mǎo zài chuán dǐ shàng.

The riveter riveted the metal sheets to the ship's bottom.
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

Straighten the rivets, please.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Word Family of 铆

Words Containing This Character4
铆钉rivet鉚釘
铆mǎoto fasten with rivets鉚
铆接riveted joint鉚接
铆钉枪rivet gun鉚釘槍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 铆钉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 铆

You might say '这两个金属板需要铆在一起' (These two metal sheets need to be riveted together).

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