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March 24, 2026
枚méi(Mei2)
The character 枚 (méi) serves primarily as a classifier for small, flat objects like coins and badges, as well as for various types of awards and satellites. It can also refer to tree trunks and has historical connotations related to military discipline. In everyday usage, it often appears in contexts involving counting and categorizing such items.
Strokes8Radical木Frequency#2949DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, awards and medals are often presented during ceremonies, making the classifier 枚 quite relevant in formal and competitive contexts, such as sports events or academic recognitions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a small coin (like a 'me' coin) being held between two tree trunks (the radical '木' representing wood/tree). The 'mei' sound can be remembered as 'may I have that coin?' Visualize a tree trunk supporting a stack of coins to reinforce the connection.
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AI Study Notes for 枚
Quick Contrast
个 (gè): Use 个 for general counting, while 枚 specifically refers to small, flat objects.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 枚 with other measure words, particularly when counting objects that don't fit its specific categories. It's primarily used in a formal context, so it's best suited for written language or formal speech. Watch out for tone mistakes; remember it’s pronounced with a rising tone (méi).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 character, 枚 connects with other classifiers learned at lower levels, such as 个 (gè) and 张 (zhāng). Students should focus on understanding its specific uses in counting and the nuances of different classifiers in Chinese.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 枚 with other classifiers like 张 or 个, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '三个枚' (sān gè méi) instead of '三枚' (sān méi) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 枚
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2The sound half攵 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaytree
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 枚? 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 枚?
Decomposition of 枚
IDS Structure⿰木攵
枚Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
攵pu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 枚?
How to say classifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etc in Chinese
“classifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etc” in Chinese is枚méi
The character 枚 (méi) serves primarily as a classifier for small, flat objects like coins and badges, as well as for various types of awards and satellites. It can also refer to tree trunks and has historical connotations related to military discipline. In everyday usage, it often appears in contexts involving counting and categorizing such items.
When to use 枚
Learners often confuse 枚 with other measure words, particularly when counting objects that don't fit its specific categories. It's primarily used in a formal context, so it's best suited for written language or formal speech. Watch out for tone mistakes; remember it’s pronounced with a rising tone (méi).
枚 or something close to it
个 (gè): Use 个 for general counting, while 枚 specifically refers to small, flat objects.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 枚 with other classifiers like 张 or 个, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '三个枚' (sān gè méi) instead of '三枚' (sān méi) is incorrect.
Write 枚
枚
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Practice writing 枚 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 枚
枚 functions as a number. It almost always combines with a measure word before a noun (三个人, 五本书). Standalone numbers are rare outside of math or counting. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
