抹 (mǒ) is a Chinese character meaning “to smear or apply (cream, paint)”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 末 (end; tip), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to wipe; to smear”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 末
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 末5画 = 8画）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) sweeping across the last thing left on the table (末, "the end, the tip"). One wipe and it is gone. 末 is also the sound part here: 末 mò, 抹 mǒ.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 涂抹tú mǒto apply (cream, paint); to smear on抹 = mǒ
- 抹去mǒ qùto wipe away; to erase抹 = mǒ
Go deeper
All readings
to smear; to wipe
to smear or apply (cream, paint); to wipe; to erase, to cross out
把东西涂上去；也指擦掉、去掉。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 涂抹tú mǒto apply (cream, paint); to smear on抹 = mǒ
- 抹去mǒ qùto wipe away; to erase抹 = mǒ
Rare readings, not taught: mò, mā
Sound component
末 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 抹 mean?
抹 (mǒ) means to smear or apply (cream, paint); to wipe; to erase, to cross out.
How do you pronounce 抹?
It is pronounced mǒ.
What parts is 抹 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 末 (end; tip), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 末5画 = 8画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 抹 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 抹?
扌. 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 抹?
Common ones are 涂抹 and 抹去. The reading of 抹 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.