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邁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
邁màiold; to pass by, to take a stridezg, 16 strokes, radical 辶, rank #79624, Very Hard
mài(mai4)mai T4
  1. 1old; to pass by, to take a stride
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March 24, 2026

邁mài(mai4)

The character 邁 (mài) primarily means 'to stride' or 'to step forward,' often conveying a sense of moving forward or advancing. It can also imply passing by something or taking a decisive step. Commonly used in contexts related to progress or movement, it carries a dynamic connotation.

Strokes16Radical辶Frequency#79624DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of moving forward or making progress is often associated with personal growth and societal advancement, reflecting traditional values of striving for improvement.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant foot striding forward, leaving a clear path behind it. The radical 邑 (yì) suggests a place or direction, while the phonetic component mai resembles the sound of a footstep. Visualize someone making confident strides in a beautiful landscape, emphasizing the meaning of progress.

Meanings of 邁

mài(mai4)
1old; to pass by, to take a stride
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 邁

邁Simplified
16Strokes
辶Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 邁

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Podcast: 邁

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AI Study Notes for 邁

Quick Contrast

迈 (mài) vs 跨 (kuà) — choose 迈 (mài) for a focus on forward movement or advancement, while 跨 (kuà) emphasizes stepping over something.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 邁 (mài) with similar-sounding characters. It is typically used in formal contexts, such as literature or speeches, to convey a sense of advancement. Common collocations include '邁向' (mài xiàng) meaning 'to stride towards' and '邁步' (mài bù) meaning 'to take a step.'

HSK Study Tips

Though 邁 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other motion-related words at higher levels. Students should focus on its usage in phrases and compound words to understand its broader applications.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 邁 (mài) with 迈 (mài), which is the simplified form used in mainland China. For example, saying '我邁步去学校' (wǒ mài bù qù xuéxiào) is correct, but you should use the appropriate form based on the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 邁

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Etymology of 邁

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To take ten thousand 萬 steps 辶

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 邁?

Decomposition of 邁

IDS Structure⿺辶萬
邁Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
萬wan4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 邁?

How to say old; to pass by, to take a stride in Chinese

“old; to pass by, to take a stride” in Chinese is邁mài

The character 邁 (mài) primarily means 'to stride' or 'to step forward,' often conveying a sense of moving forward or advancing. It can also imply passing by something or taking a decisive step. Commonly used in contexts related to progress or movement, it carries a dynamic connotation.

When to use 邁

Be careful not to confuse 邁 (mài) with similar-sounding characters. It is typically used in formal contexts, such as literature or speeches, to convey a sense of advancement. Common collocations include '邁向' (mài xiàng) meaning 'to stride towards' and '邁步' (mài bù) meaning 'to take a step.'

邁 or something close to it

迈 (mài) vs 跨 (kuà) — choose 迈 (mài) for a focus on forward movement or advancement, while 跨 (kuà) emphasizes stepping over something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 邁 (mài) with 迈 (mài), which is the simplified form used in mainland China. For example, saying '我邁步去学校' (wǒ mài bù qù xuéxiào) is correct, but you should use the appropriate form based on the context.

Write 邁

邁

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

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Word Family of 邁

Words containing this character15
迈màito stride邁
迈阿密Miami (Florida)邁阿密
迈克尔Michael (name)邁克爾
迈出to step out邁出
迈进màijìnto step in邁進
迈向to march toward邁向
豪迈háomàibold豪邁
年迈niánmàiold年邁
艾哈迈德Ahmed (name)艾哈邁德
清迈Chiang Mai, second city of Thailand清邁
老迈aged老邁
迈克尔·杰克逊Michael Jackson (1958-2009), American musician and entertainer邁克爾·傑克遜
澄迈Chengmai County, Hainan澄邁
迈巴赫Maybach, German car brand邁巴赫
澄迈县Chengmai County, Hainan澄邁縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 邁

What does 迈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 邁

Common phrases include '邁向成功' (mài xiàng chénggōng), meaning 'to stride towards success,' and '邁步向前' (mài bù xiàng qián), meaning 'to take steps forward.'

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