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枚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
枚méisurname MeiHSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
枚méiclassifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etcHSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
枚méitree trunkHSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
枚méiwhipHSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
枚méiwooden peg, used as a gag for marching soldiers (old)HSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
枚méithe stalk of a shrub, the trunk of a treeHSK 7, m, 8 strokes, radical 木, rank #2949, Hard
méi(Mei2) T2
  1. 1classifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etc
  2. 2tree trunk
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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#2949DifficultyHard
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.

Meanings of 枚

méi(Mei2)
1classifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etc
2tree trunk
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 枚

枚Simplified
8Strokes
木Radical
数词shùcínumeral (num.)Part of Speech
#2949Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 枚

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Podcast: 枚

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Etymology of 枚

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

Depicts a hand (攵) holding a piece of wood (木).

Memory Hint

tree

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)攵
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
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?

Write 枚

枚

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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

她收藏了五____硬币。

She collected five coins.

Example Sentences for 枚 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这枚胸针的历史可以追溯到公元前4世纪。

zhè méi xiōng zhēn de lì shǐ kě yǐ zhuī sù dào gōng yuán qián4 4 shì。

The brooch dates back to the fourth century BC.
2
在世界体坛上，一枚奥运会金牌是最令人向往的奖项。

zài shì jiè tǐ tán shàng， ， yī méi ào yùn huì jīn pái shì zuì líng rén xiàng wǎng de jiǎng。

An Olympic gold medal is the most sought-after prize in world sport.
3
他参加过多次比赛，赢得了数枚金牌。

tā cān jiā guò duō cì bǐ sài， ， yíng dé le shù méi jīn。

He entered for many competitions, winning several gold medals.
4
今天一早，一枚“德尔塔”Ⅱ型火箭在卡纳维拉尔角发射升空。

jīn tiān yī zǎo， ， yī“ méi “ dé”Ⅱ ěr tǎ ”Ⅱ xíng huǒ jiàn zài kǎ nà wéi lā ěr jiǎo fā。

A Delta II rocket was launched from Cape Canaveral early this morning.
5
3枚迫击炮弹落在人群旁。

3 3 méi pò jī páo dàn luò zài rén qún。

Three mortar shells had landed close to a crowd of people.
6
徽章也有卖的，2.5英镑一枚。

huī zhāng yě yǒu mài de，2.5 ，2.5 yīng bàng yī。

Badges are also available at a cost of £
7
一枚北约的导弹误将那架飞机击落。

yī méi běi yuē de dǎo dàn wù jiāng nà jià fēi jī jī luò。

The plane was shot down in error by a NATO missile.
8
布赖恩把手插进口袋里，把几枚硬币拨弄得叮当作响。

bù lài ēn bǎ shǒu chā jìn kǒu dài lǐ， ， bǎ jī méi yìng bì bō nòng dé dīng dāng zuò。

Brian put his hands in his pockets and jingled some change.
9
我坐下来，穿好针，剪下一枚旧纽扣。

wǒ zuò xià lái， ， chuān hǎo， zhēn ， jiǎn xià yī méi jiù。

I sit down, thread a needle, snip off an old button.
10
一枚18开的金戒指

yī méi18 18 kāi de jīn jiè

an 18ct gold ring

Cultural Notes for 枚

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 枚

Words Containing This Character5
枚méiwhip
不胜枚举too numerous to mention individually or one by one不勝枚舉
袁枚Yuan Mei (1716-1798), famous Qing poet and critic, one of Three great poets of the Qianlong era 乾嘉三大家
枚举to enumerate枚舉
不可枚举innumerable (idiom)不可枚舉
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 枚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 枚

枚 is used for coins, badges, medals, and thin objects like satellites.