毋 · wú

do not

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#80

Kangxi

4

Strokes

#61

Frequency

Visual hint

A woman figure with a prohibiting stroke across: a mother-figure curve with a horizontal bar — don't!

Suggests prohibition, prevention, or negation.

varies

Trace the radical, simplified, traditional, and variant forms when available.

毋

2 examples

每

měi

every; each

HSK 1

毒

dú

poison; toxic; drug

HSK 4

Do-not radical. Found in 每 (every/each), 毒 (poison), 贯 (to pass through).

A mother figure crossed out: forbidden, do not do — the strongest possible warning.

母: 毋 is prohibition; 母 is mother — 毋 looks like 母 with an extra prohibiting horizontal.

What radical is this: 毋?