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迈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
迈màito take a stepHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #6825, Hard
迈màiold; to pass by, to take a strideHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #6825, Hard
迈màito strideHSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 辶, rank #6825, Hard
mài(mai4) T4
  1. 1to take a step
  2. 2old; to pass by, to take a stride
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March 24, 2026
迈(邁)mài(mai4)

The character 迈 (mài) primarily means 'to take a step' or 'to stride.' It is often used to describe a physical action of walking or moving forward, and can also metaphorically imply making progress in life or in a situation. The nuance of the character suggests a confident, purposeful movement.

Strokes6Radical辶Frequency#6825DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of taking strides or making progress is often tied to the idea of improving one's life circumstances, which is reflected in the saying '一步一个脚印' (yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn), meaning 'every step leaves a footprint.' This emphasizes the importance of steady progress.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant foot stepping forward, each stride representing progress. The character 迈 resembles a person taking a long, confident step, with the left side symbolizing the foot and the right side representing the ground being moved forward.

Meanings of 迈

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 迈

迈Simplified
邁Traditional
6Strokes
辶Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6825Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 迈

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Podcast: 迈

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AI Study Notes for 迈

Quick Contrast

走 (zǒu, to walk) - use 迈 (mài) to emphasize a confident or purposeful stride rather than just the act of walking.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant foot stepping forward, each stride representing progress. The character 迈 resembles a person taking a long, confident step, with the left side symbolizing the foot and the right side representing the ground being moved forward.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 迈 with similar-sounding characters like 买 (mǎi, to buy), which can lead to misunderstanding. This term is generally more formal and is often used in written contexts or speeches rather than casual conversations. Pay attention to the tone; remember that 迈 is pronounced with a falling tone (mài).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 迈 connects well with other verbs expressing movement and progress, such as 跑 (pǎo, to run) and走 (zǒu, to walk). Students should focus on incorporating it into phrases about personal growth or achievements to enhance their vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of taking strides or making progress is often tied to the idea of improving one's life circumstances, which is reflected in the saying '一步一个脚印' (yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn), meaning 'every step leaves a footprint.' This emphasizes the importance of steady progress.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 迈 with the character 迈过 (mài guò, to pass by), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '我迈过那条街' (Wǒ mài guò nà tiáo jiē) instead of '我走过那条街' (Wǒ zǒu guò nà tiáo jiē) can change the meaning significantly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 迈

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Etymology of 迈

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

To take ten thousand 万 steps 辶

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 迈?

Decomposition of 迈

IDS Structure⿺辶万
迈Full Character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
万Mo4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 迈?

Write 迈

迈

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

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Grammar Patterns of 迈

迈 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

“很高兴见到你，”____克尔说。“我也是，”玛丽·安说。

"Nice to meet you," said Michael. "Same here," said Mary Ann.

Example Sentences for 迈 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“很高兴见到你，”迈克尔说。“我也是，”玛丽·安说。

“ “ hěn gāo xīng jiàn dào，” nǐ ，” mài kè。“ ěr shuō 。“，” wǒ yě· shì ，”。

"Nice to meet you," said Michael. "Same here," said Mary Ann.
2
迈克，我是决不会和你玩牌赌钱的。

mài kè， ， wǒ shì jué bù huì hé nǐ wán pái dǔ qián。

Mike, no way am I playing cards with you for money.
3
“我们已经找到撞死迈拉·莫斯的车了。”——“真的！”

“ “ wǒ mén yǐ jīng zhǎo dào zhuàng sǐ mài· lā · mò sī de。”——“ chē le！”

"We've got the car that killed Myra Moss." — "What!"
4
这是向较低利率迈出的重要一步。

zhè shì xiàng jiào dī lì shuài mài chū de zhòng yào yī bù。

This is an important step toward lower interest rates.
5
迈克尔狠狠地瞪了他一眼然后走开了。

mài kè ěr hěn hěn dì dèng le tā yī yǎn rán hòu zǒu kāi le。

Michael gave him a dirty look and walked out.
6
我最喜欢迈克尔·菲什。他滑稽逗趣，是个实实在在的人物。

wǒ zuì xǐ huān mài kè ěr· · fēi。 shí 。 tā huá jī， dòu qù ， shì gè shí shí zài zài。

Michael Fish is my favourite. He's a hoot, a real character.
7
利斯特死了，还有三个迈阿密毒贩和一位女士也死了。

lì sī tè sǐ le， ， huán yǒu sān gè mài ā mì dú fàn hé yī wèi nǚ shì yě sǐ。

Lister's dead. Ditto three Miami drug dealers and a lady.
8
迈克尔现在仅仅是个不错的朋友而已。

mài kè ěr xiàn zài jǐn jǐn shì gè bù cuò de péng yǒu ér yǐ。

Michael is now merely a good friend.
9
如果迈克尔赢了，那我一直以来努力争取的一切都将白费。

rú guǒ mài kè ěr yíng le， ， nà wǒ yī zhí yǐ lái nǔ lì zhēng qǔ de yī qiē dū jiāng bái。

If Michael won, he would undo everything I have fought for.
10
迈克尔狠狠瞪了那只狗一眼。

mài kè ěr hěn hěn dèng le nà zhī gǒu yī yǎn。

Michael gave the dog a stern look.

Cultural Notes for 迈

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of taking strides or making progress is often tied to the idea of improving one's life circumstances, which is reflected in the saying '一步一个脚印' (yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn), meaning 'every step leaves a footprint.' This emphasizes the importance of steady progress.

Word Family of 迈

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

Compound Meaning

What does 迈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 迈

You can say 迈出第一步 (mài chū dì yī bù), which means 'to take the first step.'