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魅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
魅mèidemonzg, 14 strokes, radical 鬼, rank #9796, Very Hard
魅mèimagiczg, 14 strokes, radical 鬼, rank #9796, Very Hard
魅mèito charmzg, 14 strokes, radical 鬼, rank #9796, Very Hard
魅mèimagic, enchantment, charm; a forest demonzg, 14 strokes, radical 鬼, rank #9796, Very Hard
mèi(mei4) T4
  1. 1demon
  2. 2magic
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

魅mèi(mei4)

The character 魅 (mèi) refers to a sense of charm or enchantment. It can denote a magical quality that attracts or captivates others, often associated with supernatural or demonic elements in folklore. Commonly used in contexts related to beauty and allure, it can also imply an enchanting or captivating personality.

Strokes14Radical鬼Frequency#9796DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese folklore, 魅 can refer to spirits or demons that are both alluring and dangerous, often appearing in stories where they seduce or enchant humans. This duality reflects cultural views on beauty and temptation across Chinese literature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a magical forest where a beautiful spirit (the 魅) enchants all who enter. The character has the fish radical 魚 (yú) at the bottom, suggesting a connection to water and mystery, while the top suggests something ethereal. This can help you remember 'charm' as a magical quality that flows like water.

Meanings of 魅

mèi(mei4)
1demon
2magic
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 魅

魅Simplified
14Strokes
鬼Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#9796Frequency Rank

Podcast: 魅

JasonAmy

Podcast: 魅

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 魅

Quick Contrast

妖 (yāo) — use 魅 (mèi) for charm or enchantment, while 妖 (yāo) emphasizes a supernatural or demonic quality.

Usage Notes

Learners may confuse 魅 with similar characters like 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful.' 魅 is often used in more poetic or formal contexts, so be cautious with its usage in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 魅力 (mèilì), meaning 'charm' or 'attractiveness.'

HSK Study Tips

While 魅 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it shares common components with words at HSK levels 3-6 that relate to beauty and attraction. Students should focus on recognizing its use in literature and poetry to deepen their understanding of charm and allure.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 魅 with 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful.' For example, saying '她很魅' (tā hěn mèi) can be incorrect if you mean to say 'She is very beautiful,' as the correct word would be '美.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 魅

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Etymology of 魅

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A forest 未 demon 鬼; 未 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 魅

  1. 1The giveawayA forest 未 demon 鬼; 未 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 魅? 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 魅?

Decomposition of 魅

IDS Structure⿺鬼未
魅Full Character
=
鬼gui3
enclosing
未wei4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 魅?

How to say demon in Chinese

“demon” in Chinese is魅mèi

The character 魅 (mèi) refers to a sense of charm or enchantment. It can denote a magical quality that attracts or captivates others, often associated with supernatural or demonic elements in folklore. Commonly used in contexts related to beauty and allure, it can also imply an enchanting or captivating personality.

When to use 魅

Learners may confuse 魅 with similar characters like 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful.' 魅 is often used in more poetic or formal contexts, so be cautious with its usage in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 魅力 (mèilì), meaning 'charm' or 'attractiveness.'

魅 or something close to it

妖 (yāo) — use 魅 (mèi) for charm or enchantment, while 妖 (yāo) emphasizes a supernatural or demonic quality.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 魅 with 美 (měi), which means 'beautiful.' For example, saying '她很魅' (tā hěn mèi) can be incorrect if you mean to say 'She is very beautiful,' as the correct word would be '美.'

Write 魅

魅

Practice writing 魅 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 魅

魅 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

新鲜事物的____力一定让你兴奋不已。

You must be feeling exhilarated by the call of the new.

Common Confusions with 魅

魅vs美
měi

Similar pronunciation and shape, but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "demon"?

or

Example Sentences for 魅 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
新鲜事物的魅力一定让你兴奋不已。

xīn xiān shì wù de mèi lì yī dìng ràng nǐ xīng fèn bù yǐ。

You must be feeling exhilarated by the call of the new.
2
逝去的岁月让他们平添了几分魅力。

shì qù de suì yuè ràng tā mén píng tiān le jī fēn mèi lì。

It infected them with some of the magic of a lost age.
3
毫无疑问，这个男人身上透着一种野性魅力。

háo wú yí wèn， ， zhè gè nán rén shēn shàng tòu zháo yī zhǒng yě xìng mèi。

There was no doubting the animal magnetism of the man.
4
这是一项的确已失去了魅力的游戏。

zhè shì yī xiàng de què yǐ shī qù le mèi lì de yóu xì。

It's a game that has really lost its allure.
5
他长得很帅，也有魅力，总是走好运。

tā cháng dé hěn shuài， ， yě yǒu mèi， lì ， zǒng shì zǒu。

He has good looks and charm, and always falls on his feet.
6
他很有个性魅力——非常风趣。

tā hěn yǒu gè xìng mèi lì—— —— fēi cháng fēng。

He is such a personality— he is so funny.
7
他极富魅力而且非常有幽默感。

tā jí fù mèi lì ér qiě fēi cháng yǒu yōu mò gǎn。

He had enormous charm and a great sense of humour.
8
她是个很有魅力的人。

tā shì gè hěn yǒu mèi lì de rén。

She's a cracker.
9
他混迹于有魅力、有学问或有名气的人当中。

tā hùn jì yú yǒu mèi lì、 、 yǒu xué wèn huò yǒu míng qì de rén dāng。

He surrounds himself with attractive, intelligent, or well-known people.
10
他最具持久魅力的特质就是他那孩子般的天真无邪。

tā zuì jù chí jiǔ mèi lì de tè zhì jiù shì tā nà hái zǐ bān de tiān zhēn wú xié。

His most enduring quality is his childlike innocence.

Word Family of 魅

Words Containing This Character7
魅力mèilìcharm
魅mèidemon
有魅力attractive
鬼魅demon
魅惑to entice
魑魅魍魉demons and monsters (idiom)魑魅魍魎
魑魅demon
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 魅力 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 魅

It is pronounced as 'mèi' with a falling tone.

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