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帽 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
帽màohat, capHSK 2, zg, 12 strokes, radical 巾, rank #4278, Easy
帽màoold variant of 帽[mào]HSK 2, zg, 12 strokes, radical 巾, rank #4278, Easy
帽màoold variant of 帽[mao4]HSK 2, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 巾, rank #4278, Easy
mào(mao4)mao T4
  1. 1hat, cap
  2. 2old variant of 帽[mào]
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March 24, 2026

帽(㡌)mào(mao4)

The character 帽 (mào) refers to a hat or cap, typically worn for protection against the weather or as a fashion accessory. It can denote various types of headgear, from simple caps to more elaborate hats, and is commonly used in everyday conversations about clothing and fashion.

Strokes12Radical巾Frequency#4278DifficultyEasy
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, hats can signify social status or traditional roles, such as the iconic '斗笠' (dǒulì - bamboo hat) worn by farmers. Hats can also be linked to specific festivals or celebrations, showcasing different styles and cultural significance.

Memory tip

Imagine a person wearing a large hat (帽) that has a 'M' shape at the top, resembling a mountain range. The hat protects them from rain, just as the 'M' sound starts with a protective, muffled sound when you say it. This visual and auditory connection can help you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 帽

mào(mao4)
1hat, cap
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 帽 means.

About 帽

帽Simplified
㡌Traditional
12Strokes
巾Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#4278Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2

Podcast: 帽

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Podcast: 帽

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AI study notes for 帽

Quick Contrast

帽 (mào) vs 头巾 (tóujīn) — use 帽 for hats and caps, while 头巾 specifically refers to a headscarf or turban.

Usage Notes

When using 帽 in conversation, ensure you know the context, as it can describe both casual and formal headwear. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that refer to other clothing items. Common collocations include '运动帽' (sports cap) and '冬帽' (winter hat).

HSK Study Tips

While 帽 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects to other clothing-related vocabulary, such as 衣 (yī - clothing) and 裙 (qún - skirt). Students should focus on pronunciation and context usage to enhance vocabulary related to fashion and accessories.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 帽 with other similar characters like 毛 (máo - fur) due to the similar pronunciation. Remember that 帽 specifically refers to hats or caps. An example of a common mistake is saying '我有一毛' (wǒ yǒu yī máo - I have one fur) instead of '我有一帽' (wǒ yǒu yī mào - I have one hat).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 帽

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Etymology of 帽

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

towel

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

Origin

帽 = 巾 + 冒. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 帽

IDS Structure⿰巾冒
帽Full character
=
巾jin1
left
冒mao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 帽?

How to say hat, cap in Chinese

“hat, cap” in Chinese is帽mào

The character 帽 (mào) refers to a hat or cap, typically worn for protection against the weather or as a fashion accessory. It can denote various types of headgear, from simple caps to more elaborate hats, and is commonly used in everyday conversations about clothing and fashion.

When to use 帽

When using 帽 in conversation, ensure you know the context, as it can describe both casual and formal headwear. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words that refer to other clothing items. Common collocations include '运动帽' (sports cap) and '冬帽' (winter hat).

帽 or something close to it

帽 (mào) vs 头巾 (tóujīn) — use 帽 for hats and caps, while 头巾 specifically refers to a headscarf or turban.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 帽 with other similar characters like 毛 (máo - fur) due to the similar pronunciation. Remember that 帽 specifically refers to hats or caps. An example of a common mistake is saying '我有一毛' (wǒ yǒu yī máo - I have one fur) instead of '我有一帽' (wǒ yǒu yī mào - I have one hat).

Write 帽

帽

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

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Grammar patterns of 帽

帽 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他已经快把螺丝____拧下来了。

He had unscrewed the caps most of the way.

Example sentences for 帽 (10)

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1
他已经快把螺丝帽拧下来了。

tā yǐjīng kuài bǎ luósī mào níng xiàlái le。

He had unscrewed the caps most of the way.
2
他戴帽以遮斑秃。

tā dài mào yǐ zhē bān tū。

He wears a cap to cover a spot of baldness.
3
他常不招人待见,而且被看作是个自负的大傻帽儿。

tā cháng bù zhāo rén dāi jiàn, érqiě bèi kànzuò shì gè zìfù de dà shǎ mào ér。

He was generally disliked and regarded as a pompous ass.
4
那名男子摸了摸他的帽舌。

nà míng nánzǐ mō le mō tā de mào shé。

The man touched the peak of his cap.
5
伊萨的白色沙滩帽在刺眼的阳光下闪闪发亮。

yī sà de báisè shātān mào zài cìyǎn de yángguāng xià shǎn shǎn fā liàng。

Issa's white beach hat gleamed in the harsh lights.
6
她头戴一顶小护士帽,很容易辨认。

tā tóu dài yī dǐng xiǎo hùshi mào, hěn róngyì biànrèn。

She wore a little nurse's hat on her head to identify her.
7
他觉得自己像个土老帽儿, 坐在高级餐厅里, 不知道该用哪一件餐具...

tā juéde zìjǐ xiàng gè tǔ lǎo mào ér, zuò zài gāojí cāntīng lǐ, bùzhī dào gāi yòng nǎ yī jiàn cān jù...

He felt a real country bumpkin, sitting in that expensive restaurant, not knowing which cutlery to use.
8
虽然天气越来越热,他们仍全部戴着高顶礼帽,穿着燕尾服。

suīrán tiānqì yuèláiyuè rè, tāmen réng quánbù dài zhe gāo dǐng lǐ mào, chuānzhuó yān wěi fú。

They were all in top hats and cutaways despite the growing heat.
9
他的长靴和紫色贝雷帽表明他统领着苏格兰伞兵部队。

tā de cháng xuē hé zǐ sè bèi léi mào biǎomíng tā tǒng lǐng zhe sū gé lán sǎn bīng bùduì。

His boots and purple beret identify him as commanding the Scottish Paratroops.
10
他戴着一顶巴拿马草帽,穿着一身挺括的白西装。

tā dài zhe yī dǐng Bā ná mǎ cǎo mào, chuānzhuó yìshēn tǐng kuò de bái xīzhuāng。

He wore a panama hat and a crisp white suit.

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Cultural Notes for 帽

💡Did you know?

In ancient China, hats were not just for fashion; they indicated social status. Different shapes and colors represented various ranks in society.

Word Family of 帽

Words containing this character19
帽子màozihat
帽màohat
草帽cǎomàostraw hat
衣帽间yīmàojiāncloakroom衣帽間
礼帽lǐmàoWestern-style man's hat禮帽
安全帽ānquánmàosafety helmet
绿帽子lǜmàozicuckold綠帽子
戴帽子dàimàozito wear a hat
贝雷帽bèiléimàoberet (loanword)貝雷帽
乌纱帽wūshāmàofig. official post烏紗帽
鸭舌帽yāshémàopeaked cap鴨舌帽
浴帽yùmàoshower cap
帽檐màoyánbrim (of a hat)
扣帽子kòumàozipower word
螺帽luómàonut (female component of nut and bolt)
摘帽zhāimàolit. to take off a hat
高帽子gāomàozidunce cap
笔帽bǐmàothe cap of a pen, pencil, or writing brush筆帽
纱帽shāmàogauze hat紗帽
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 帽

What does 帽子 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 帽

帽 (mào) specifically refers to hats or caps, while 头巾 (tóu jīn) refers to a headscarf or headband. Both are types of headwear, but they serve different purposes and styles in Chinese culture.

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