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貿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
貿màocommerce, tradex, 12 strokes, radical 貝
mào(mao4) T4
  1. 1commerce, trade
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

貿mào(mao4)

The character '貿' (mào) refers to commerce or trade, specifically the exchange of goods and services between parties. It is commonly used in contexts related to business transactions, international trade, and economic discussions.

Strokes12Radical貝
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, trade has a long history dating back to the Silk Road, which facilitated commerce between China and other parts of the world. The character '貿' embodies this rich heritage of cultural and economic exchange.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large market where different goods are traded. The character '貿' looks like a merchant (the top part) surrounded by goods (the bottom part). Picture the merchant shouting 'mào' to attract customers, emphasizing the bustling nature of trade.

Meanings of 貿

mào(mao4)
1commerce, trade
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 貿

貿Simplified
12Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 貿

JasonAmy

Podcast: 貿

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 貿

Quick Contrast

交易 (jiāoyì) - use '貿' for broader trade contexts, while '交易' focuses on specific transactions.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse '貿' with similar-sounding words that pertain to other economic concepts. It is more formal and is often used in business contexts. Common collocations include '貿易' (mào yì - trade) and '貿易公司' (mào yì gōng sī - trading company).

HSK Study Tips

While '貿' is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it is relevant for learners interested in business Chinese. Focus on its use in phrases related to trade and economics to enhance your vocabulary in this area.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write '貿' with the wrong radicals, confusing it with characters related to 'buying' or 'selling'. Ensure you remember that '貿' specifically relates to 'trade' (mào), not '買' (buy) or '賣' (sell).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 貿

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Etymology of 貿

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

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 卯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 貿.

Memory Hint

money

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 貿

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 卯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 貿.

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

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

Want the full history of 貿? 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 貿?

Decomposition of 貿

IDS Structure⿱卯貝
貿Full Character
=
卯mao3
top
貝bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 貿?

How to say commerce, trade in Chinese

“commerce, trade” in Chinese is貿mào

The character '貿' (mào) refers to commerce or trade, specifically the exchange of goods and services between parties. It is commonly used in contexts related to business transactions, international trade, and economic discussions.

When to use 貿

Be careful not to confuse '貿' with similar-sounding words that pertain to other economic concepts. It is more formal and is often used in business contexts. Common collocations include '貿易' (mào yì - trade) and '貿易公司' (mào yì gōng sī - trading company).

貿 or something close to it

交易 (jiāoyì) - use '貿' for broader trade contexts, while '交易' focuses on specific transactions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write '貿' with the wrong radicals, confusing it with characters related to 'buying' or 'selling'. Ensure you remember that '貿' specifically relates to 'trade' (mào), not '買' (buy) or '賣' (sell).

Write 貿

貿

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 貿

Words Containing This Character20
贸易màoyì(commercial) trade貿易
世贸abbr. for 世界貿易組織|世界贸易组织世貿
外贸wàimàoforeign trade外貿
贸然rashly貿然
贸màotrade貿
经贸jīngmàotrade經貿
商贸trade and commerce商貿
农贸市场farmer's market農貿市場
国际贸易international trade國際貿易
世贸组织WTO (World Trade Organization)世貿組織
贸易额volume of trade (between countries)貿易額
世界贸易组织World Trade Organization (WTO)世界貿易組織
贸易逆差trade deficit貿易逆差
集贸market集貿
贸易公司trading company貿易公司
财贸finance and trade財貿
内贸domestic trade內貿
关贸总协定GATT, the 1995 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade關貿總協定
香港贸易发展局Hong Kong Trade Development Council香港貿易發展局
对外贸易经济合作部Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC)對外貿易經濟合作部
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 贸易 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 貿

'貿' is pronounced as 'mào'.

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