弥 (mí) is a Chinese character meaning “to fill up”. It is written from 弓 (bow) and 尔 (you (literary); the right-hand part of 你), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to fill up”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
弓 + 尔
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字·弓部（彌，弛弓也。从弓爾聲）；简化字 尔 承 爾。现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 核验：8 画 = 弓 3 画 + 尔 5 画
Memory aid
A bow (弓) drawn all the way back, and you (尔) on the right filling the gap. Both parts really are in this character: something stretched out until it is completely full.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 弥补mí bǔto make up for弥 = mí
- 弥漫mí mànto fill the air; to permeate弥 = mí
Go deeper
All readings
to fill up
to fill up; to make up (a gap or loss); full, spread all over; (literary) all the more
填满、补足；也表示布满、充满整个空间。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 弥补mí bǔto make up for弥 = mí
- 弥漫mí mànto fill the air; to permeate弥 = mí
Sound component
尔 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 弥 mean?
弥 (mí) means to fill up; to make up (a gap or loss); full, spread all over; (literary) all the more.
How do you pronounce 弥?
It is pronounced mí.
What parts is 弥 made of?
弓 (bow) and 尔 (you (literary); the right-hand part of 你), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字·弓部（彌，弛弓也。从弓爾聲）；简化字 尔 承 爾。现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 核验：8 画 = 弓 3 画 + 尔 5 画. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 弥 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 弥?
弓. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 弥?
Common ones are 弥补 and 弥漫. The reading of 弥 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.