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March 24, 2026
梅méi(Mei2)
梅 (méi) primarily means 'plum' or 'plum flower' in Chinese. It is often associated with the Japanese apricot, and can also refer to a common surname. The character embodies both the fruit and the beauty of the flower, often symbolizing resilience and purity in Chinese culture.
Strokes11Radical木Frequency#5163DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
The plum flower (梅花) is one of the 'Four Gentlemen' in Chinese art, symbolizing perseverance and integrity, as it blooms in the harsh winter. It holds cultural significance, often celebrated during the Lunar New Year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a delicate plum flower (梅) blooming in spring, its petals painted in soft pink. The character's left side resembles a tree trunk, while the right side suggests the fruit hanging from branches, reminding you of the word's pronunciation 'méi'.
Meanings of 梅
méi(Mei2)
1plum; prune; surname
2plum flower
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 梅 means.
About 梅
梅Simplified
11Strokes
木Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateCEFRC1
Podcast: 梅
Podcast: 梅
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AI Study Notes for 梅
Quick Contrast
梅 (méi) vs 李 (lǐ) — use 梅 when referring specifically to plum or plum flowers, while 李 refers to the apricot or the apricot tree.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 梅 (méi) with other similar-sounding characters, such as 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful'. This word is relatively informal and used in everyday conversation, particularly when discussing fruits or nature. It often appears in phrases related to seasons or floral themes.
HSK Study Tips
While 梅 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects well with vocabulary related to nature and food. Students should focus on its applications in describing fruits and flowers, which often appear in beginner-level reading materials.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 梅 (méi) with 美 (měi). For instance, saying '这个梅很美' (Zhège méi hěn měi) incorrectly mixes meanings; it should be '这个梅花很美' (Zhège méi huā hěn měi) to refer to a beautiful plum flower specifically.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 梅
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How Well Do You Know 梅?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 梅 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.
梅 = 木 + 每. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 梅
IDS Structure⿰木每
梅Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
每mei3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 梅?
How to say surname Mei in Chinese
“surname Mei” in Chinese is梅méi
梅 (méi) primarily means 'plum' or 'plum flower' in Chinese. It is often associated with the Japanese apricot, and can also refer to a common surname. The character embodies both the fruit and the beauty of the flower, often symbolizing resilience and purity in Chinese culture.
When to use 梅
Be careful not to confuse 梅 (méi) with other similar-sounding characters, such as 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful'. This word is relatively informal and used in everyday conversation, particularly when discussing fruits or nature. It often appears in phrases related to seasons or floral themes.
梅 or something close to it
梅 (méi) vs 李 (lǐ) — use 梅 when referring specifically to plum or plum flowers, while 李 refers to the apricot or the apricot tree.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 梅 (méi) with 美 (měi). For instance, saying '这个梅很美' (Zhège méi hěn měi) incorrectly mixes meanings; it should be '这个梅花很美' (Zhège méi huā hěn měi) to refer to a beautiful plum flower specifically.
Write 梅
梅
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Grammar Patterns of 梅
梅 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 4 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 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
“没错，____格。”他用冰冷、阴沉的声音答道。
"That is correct, Meg," he answered in his cold, dead voice.
"It's not that I don't believe you, Meg," Jack said, unconvincingly.
6
梅诺卡岛是那种适合家庭旅游的地方。
méi nuò kǎ dǎo shì nà zhǒng shì hé jiā tíng lǚ yóu de dì fāng。
Minorca is the sort of place that caters for families.
7
经过3个周末的追求之后，帕梅拉接受了伦道夫的求婚。
jīng guò3 3 gè zhōu mò de zhuī qiú zhī， hòu ， pà méi lā jiē shòu le lún dào fū de。
After a three-weekend courtship, Pamela accepted Randolph's proposal of marriage.
8
目击证人称梅尔顿先生抽打了这匹马16鞭之多。
mù jī zhèng rén chēng méi ěr dùn xiān shēng chōu dǎ le zhè pǐ mǎ16 16 biān zhī。
Eye-witnesses claimed Mr Melton whipped the horse up to 16 times.
9
为什么卡梅拉把他扯进这场争论中？
wéi shí mó kǎ méi lā bǎ tā chě jìn zhè cháng zhēng lùn zhōng？
Why should Carmela have dragged him into the argument?
10
她早些时候辞去了梅内姆总统助理一职。
tā zǎo xiē shí hòu cí qù le méi nèi mǔ zǒng tǒng zhù lǐ yī zhí。
She had earlier resigned her post as President Menem's assistant.
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Word Family of 梅
Words Containing This Character17
梅méiplum
梅林Merlin
梅花méihuāplum blossom
梅毒syphilis
梅西Lionel Messi (1987-), Argentine footballer
不来梅Bremen (city)不來梅
梅子plum
青梅竹马childhood sweethearts青梅竹馬
杨梅red bayberry楊梅
梅州Meizhou prefecture-level city in Guangdong
梅兰芳Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), famous master of Beijing opera, specialist in female roles梅蘭芳
梅斯Metz (city in France)
金瓶梅Jinpingmei or the Golden Lotus (1617), Ming dynasty vernacular novel, formerly notorious and banned for its sexual content
梅雨monsoon
梅森Martin Mersenne (1588-1648, French mathematician)
梅花鹿sika deer
酸梅pickled plum
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 梅
What does 梅林 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 梅
梅 refers to plums and plum flowers, while 桃 (táo) specifically means peaches. They are different fruits with distinct cultural and culinary significance.
Yes, 梅 is a common Chinese surname and is pronounced the same way, méi.
You can say '我喜欢梅子' (Wǒ xǐhuān méizi), which means 'I like plums'.
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