摹

mó

手 + 莫

Definitions

mó (bound form) to imitate; to copy

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 手 represents the meaning and 莫 represents the sound.

Semantic: 手 Phonetic: 莫

About

摹 is a phonosemantic compound: 手 (hand) gives the meaning, and 莫 (mò) the sound. The 手 component appears here at the bottom (rather than its common side form 扌), indicating an action done with the hands, while 莫 functions purely phonetically. The character denotes tracing, copying, or imitating, especially in calligraphy and painting, and its structure reflects the manual work of replicating a model. It is used in compounds like 摹仿.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在摹一幅画。

Tā zài mó yī fú huà.

He is copying a painting.

孩子们喜欢摹仿动物。

Háizimen xǐhuān mófǎng dòngwù.

Children like to imitate animals.

学习书法需要摹帖。

Xuéxí shūfǎ xūyào mó tiè.

Learning calligraphy requires copying calligraphy models.

这幅画是摹本，不是原作。

Zhè fú huà shì móběn, bù shì yuánzuò.

This painting is a copy, not the original.

他通过摹仿大师的作品来提高技巧。

Tā tōngguò mófǎng dàshī de zuòpǐn lái tígāo jìqiǎo.

He improves his skills by imitating the works of masters.

电脑程序可以摹拟人类思维。

Diànnǎo chéngxù kěyǐ mónǐ rénlèi sīwéi.

Computer programs can simulate human thinking.

艺术家在创作前常进行摹写练习。

Yìshùjiā zài chuàngzuò qián cháng jìnxíng móxiě liànxí.

Artists often do copying exercises before creating.

为了准确还原历史场景，他们仔细摹绘了古代建筑。

Wèile zhǔnquè huányuán lìshǐ chǎngjǐng, tāmen zǐxì móhuì le gǔdài jiànzhù.

In order to accurately restore historical scenes, they carefully sketched and copied ancient buildings.

Related Characters

Component: 手

Component: 莫

摹