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玛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
玛mǎagate, corneliannr, 7 strokes, radical 王, rank #4611, Hard
mǎ(ma3) T3
  1. 1agate, cornelian
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
玛(瑪)mǎ(ma3)

The character 玛 (mǎ) refers to a type of precious stone, specifically agate or cornelian. It is often used in the context of jewelry and decorative arts, signifying beauty and value. This character can also be found in names and titles that evoke elegance or preciousness.

Strokes7Radical王Frequency#4611DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, gemstones like 玛 represent not just beauty, but also protection and good fortune. They are often used in traditional jewelry worn during festivals and important life events.

Memory Tip

Think of 玛 (mǎ) as a 'marvelous gem.' The left side of the character resembles a mountain, suggesting the natural origins of gemstones. Imagine a beautiful agate stone sitting atop a mountain, sparkling in the sunlight, to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 玛

mǎ(ma3)
1agate, cornelian
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 玛

玛Simplified
瑪Traditional
7Strokes
王Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 玛

JasonAmy

Podcast: 玛

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 玛

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 玛 (mǎ) as a 'marvelous gem.' The left side of the character resembles a mountain, suggesting the natural origins of gemstones. Imagine a beautiful agate stone sitting atop a mountain, sparkling in the sunlight, to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Usage Notes

玛 is commonly used in crafts, jewelry, and discussions about gemstones. Avoid confusing it with other similar characters, such as 码 (mǎ), which means 'code.' In formal contexts, it may be used in names of products or brands that emphasize luxury.

HSK Study Tips

Although 玛 is not included in the HSK levels, it complements other words related to stones and jewelry, such as 石 (shí) for 'stone' and 珠 (zhū) for 'pearl.' Students should focus on recognizing this character in context, especially in discussions of art and culture.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, gemstones like 玛 represent not just beauty, but also protection and good fortune. They are often used in traditional jewelry worn during festivals and important life events.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 玛 (mǎ) with 码 (mǎ), which means 'code.' Remember that 玛 specifically relates to gemstones, whereas 码 is about numerical codes or measures.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 玛

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Etymology of 玛

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

Phonosemantic compound. 王 represents the meaning and 马 represents the sound. Simplified form of 瑪.

Memory Hint

jade

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 玛?

Decomposition of 玛

IDS Structure⿰王马
玛Full Character
=
王Wang2
left
马Ma3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 玛?

Write 玛

玛

Practice writing 玛 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 玛

玛 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

“给我来份烤金枪鱼吧，”____丽·安告诉侍者。

"I'll take the grilled tuna," Mary Ann told the waiter.

Example Sentences for 玛 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“给我来份烤金枪鱼吧，”玛丽·安告诉侍者。

“ “ gěi wǒ lái fèn kǎo jīn qiāng yú，” bā ，”· mǎ lì · ān gào。

"I'll take the grilled tuna," Mary Ann told the waiter.
2
“很高兴见到你，”迈克尔说。“我也是，”玛丽·安说。

“ “ hěn gāo xīng jiàn dào，” nǐ ，” mài kè。“ ěr shuō 。“，” wǒ yě· shì ，”。

"Nice to meet you," said Michael. "Same here," said Mary Ann.
3
玛丽亚穿一袭白色节裙，一动裙子就窸窣作响。

mǎ lì yà chuān yī xí bái sè jié qún， ， yī dòng qún zǐ jiù xī sū zuò。

Maria wore a layered white dress that rustled when she moved.
4
接替他工作的首要人选是玛格丽特·拉姆齐。

jiē tì tā gōng zuò de shǒu yào rén xuǎn shì mǎ gé lì tè· · lā mǔ。

Prime candidate to take over his job is Margaret Ramsay.
5
玛丽女王开启了青花瓷在英格兰的流行风尚。

mǎ lì nǚ wáng kāi qǐ le qīng huā cí zài yīng gé lán de liú háng fēng shàng。

Queen Mary started the fashion for blue and white china in England.
6
玛丽莲最后一次公开亮相是在麦迪逊广场花园。

mǎ lì lián zuì hòu yī cì gōng kāi liàng xiāng shì zài mài dí xùn guǎng cháng huā yuán。

Marilyn made her last public appearance at Madison Square Garden.
7
你为什么不呆在这儿，陪陪埃玛？

nǐ wéi shí mó bù dāi zài zhè ér， ， péi péi āi？

Why don't you stay here and keep Emma company?
8
玛蒂尔达在一块有花鸟图案的祭坛布上刺绣。

mǎ dì ěr dá zài yī kuài yǒu huā niǎo tú àn de jì tán bù shàng cì xiù。

Matilda was embroidering an altar cloth covered with flowers and birds.
9
感到自己的观点站不住脚，玛丽于是换了个话题。

gǎn dào zì jǐ de guān diǎn zhàn bù zhù jiǎo， ， mǎ lì yú shì huàn le gè huà。

Sensing she was on shaky ground, Marie changed the subject.
10
玛丽亚对两个孩子都疼爱有加，向来一视同仁。

mǎ lì yà duì liǎng gè hái zǐ dū téng ài yǒu jiā， ， xiàng lái yī shì tóng。

Maria loved both the children. There was never a hint of favouritism.

Cultural Notes for 玛

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, gemstones like 玛 represent not just beauty, but also protection and good fortune. They are often used in traditional jewelry worn during festivals and important life events.

Word Family of 玛

Words Containing This Character14
尼玛Nyima county, Tibetan: Nyi ma rdzong in Nagchu prefecture 那曲地區|那曲地区[Nà​qǔ​dì​qū], central Tibet尼瑪
玛mǎagate瑪
玛丽Mali瑪麗
沃尔玛Wal-Mart, Walmart (retailer)沃爾瑪
玛雅Maya (civilization)瑪雅
玛利亚Mary (biblical name)瑪利亞
玛格丽特Margaret (name)瑪格麗特
玛丽亚Maria (name)瑪麗亞
珠穆朗玛峰Mt Everest珠穆朗瑪峰
玛瑙agate瑪瑙
玛尼Mani (god)瑪尼
克拉玛依Qaramay shehiri (Karamay city) or Kèlāmǎyī prefecture-level city in Xinjiang克拉瑪依
阿玛尼Armani (fashion designer)阿瑪尼
玛雅人Maya peoples瑪雅人
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 尼玛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 玛

It is pronounced as 'mǎ', with a falling-rising tone.