Definitions

(adjective) male (of animals)
(noun) hill; mound

Etymology

Depicts a cow () with a penis (). In oracle bone script the animals varied in depiction, such as a pig (), a deer (鹿), sheep (), horse (), etc.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "牡" is structured with the radical "牛" denoting its association with animals and the component "土" which originally served a phonetic role in its formation. Etymologically, it was designed to represent the male of animals, particularly the bull, from which its general sense of "male" is derived. Over time, its application extended beyond zoology to include male references in botany, such as describing the staminate plants in "牡麻", while the character's composition of "牛" and "土" has continued to convey this core meaning.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这朵丹很美丽。

Zhè duǒ mǔdān hěn měilì.

This peony is very beautiful.

我喜欢红色的丹。

Wǒ xǐhuān hóngsè de mǔdān.

I like red peonies.

花园里种了许多丹。

Huāyuán lǐ zhòngle xǔduō mǔdān.

Many peonies are planted in the garden.

蛎是一种海鲜。

Mǔlì shì yī zhǒng hǎixiān.

Oysters are a type of seafood.

他点了烤蛎作为前菜。

Tā diǎnle kǎo mǔlì zuòwéi qiáncài.

He ordered grilled oysters as an appetizer.

马在草原上奔跑。

Mǔ mǎ zài cǎoyuán shàng bēnpǎo.

The stallion is running on the grassland.

丹花的香气令人愉悦。

Mǔdān huā de xiāngqì lìng rén yúyuè.

The fragrance of peony flowers is pleasing.

这家餐厅的蒜蓉蛎很有名。

Zhè jiā cāntīng de suànróng mǔlì hěn yǒumíng.

The garlic oysters at this restaurant are famous.