How many strokes does the Chinese character "木" (mù) have?
"木" has 4 strokes in Simplified Chinese. Its primary dictionary radical is 木, and you can animate or practice writing every stroke in order using the interactive grid on this page.
Ready · 4 strokes
Speed:
Nature & Elements
Name: Good with Pairing
Tattoo: Caution Alone
木 Wood in Chinese (mù)
Dictionary Summary
木 (mù) means (bound form) tree; (bound form) wood; unresponsive; numb; wooden. Simplified form has 4 strokes under radical 木.
Pinyin & Tonemù (Tone 4)
Simplified / Trad.木 / 木
Radical木
Total Strokes4 strokes
StructureOverlaid / Integral (十 + 八)
Unicode / LevelU+6728 · HSK 2
Native Naming & Tattoo Safety Review
🪪 Using “木” in a Chinese Name · Good with Pairing (Unisex)
Standalone 木 can feel plain or sound like 'wooden/numb' (木讷), yet in poetic combinations like 木兰 (Magnolia) or 乔木 (tall tree) it feels crisp and natural.
✒️ Using “木” for a Tattoo · Caution Alone
By itself, 木 reads like a raw material label ('lumber/wood') or 'stiff/numb'. Choose 林 (forest), 竹 (bamboo), or 梅 (plum blossom) instead.
Character Etymology & CC-CEDICT Meanings
Origin & Visual Logic: Pictograph of a tree with upward branches and downward roots.
| Traditional / Simplified | Pinyin | CC-CEDICT Definitions |
|---|---|---|
| 木 / 木 | mù | (bound form) tree; (bound form) wood; unresponsive; numb; wooden |
| 木 / 木 | Mù | surname Mu |
Lexical entries derived from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Make Me a Hanzi (APL / LGPL-3.0).
Common Words & Idioms Using “木”
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 树木 | shùmù | trees | |
| 草木 | cǎomù | vegetation; flora | |
| 花木 | huāmù | flowers and trees |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "木" good to use in a real Chinese name?
Rating: Good with Pairing (Unisex). Standalone 木 can feel plain or sound like 'wooden/numb' (木讷), yet in poetic combinations like 木兰 (Magnolia) or 乔木 (tall tree) it feels crisp and natural.
Is "木" safe as a Chinese character tattoo?
Tattoo rating: Caution Alone. By itself, 木 reads like a raw material label ('lumber/wood') or 'stiff/numb'. Choose 林 (forest), 竹 (bamboo), or 梅 (plum blossom) instead.