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瑪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
瑪mǎagate, cornelianzg, 14 strokes, radical 王, rank #81508, Very Hard
mǎ(ma3)ma T3
  1. 1agate, cornelian
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March 24, 2026

瑪mǎ(ma3)

The character 瑪 (mǎ) refers to specific types of gemstones, primarily agate and cornelian. It is often used in contexts related to jewelry, minerals, and decorative items, highlighting the aesthetic and cultural significance of these stones in Chinese art and history.

Strokes14Radical王Frequency#81508DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, gemstones like agate and cornelian are often associated with wealth and protection. They are frequently used in traditional jewelry and are believed to bring good luck and positive energy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a beautiful agate stone, its smooth surface resembling the character 瑪. The two dots at the top can be seen as glimmering reflections on the stone, while the bottom part suggests its polished nature, making it memorable as 'mǎ' for 'marvelous gemstone'.

Meanings of 瑪

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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 瑪 means.

About 瑪

瑪Simplified
14Strokes
王Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 瑪

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Podcast: 瑪

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AI Study Notes for 瑪

Usage Notes

瑪 is typically used in more formal contexts related to gemstones and mineralogy. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters or using it in everyday conversation where simpler words would suffice. Remember that it is not commonly used in casual speech.

HSK Study Tips

瑪 is not an HSK level word, but it connects to other vocabulary related to minerals and art. Students should focus on learning characters related to nature and beauty, as this will enhance their understanding of cultural references.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 瑪 with 玛, which is a simplified version. For example, saying '我喜欢玛瑙' (I like cornelian) when referring to the stone; it's important to use 瑪 in traditional contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 瑪

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Jason Explains 瑪 to You

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Etymology of 瑪

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)馬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

瑪 = 王 + 馬. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 瑪

IDS Structure⿰王馬
瑪Full Character
=
王Wang2
left
馬ma3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 瑪?

How to say agate, cornelian in Chinese

“agate, cornelian” in Chinese is瑪mǎ

The character 瑪 (mǎ) refers to specific types of gemstones, primarily agate and cornelian. It is often used in contexts related to jewelry, minerals, and decorative items, highlighting the aesthetic and cultural significance of these stones in Chinese art and history.

When to use 瑪

瑪 is typically used in more formal contexts related to gemstones and mineralogy. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters or using it in everyday conversation where simpler words would suffice. Remember that it is not commonly used in casual speech.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 瑪 with 玛, which is a simplified version. For example, saying '我喜欢玛瑙' (I like cornelian) when referring to the stone; it's important to use 瑪 in traditional contexts.

Write 瑪

瑪

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

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Word Family of 瑪

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

Words with 瑪

What does 尼玛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 瑪

瑪 is often found in contexts discussing jewelry or gemstone collections, such as '这块瑪瑙非常漂亮' (This piece of agate is very beautiful).

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