嘛
·
modal particle indicating that sth is obvious; particle indicating a pause for emphasis
14 strokes
Dict coverage rank #3,283 U+561B
How 嘛 is formed
Phono-semantic compound (形声字)
口 (semantic, “mouth”) + 麻 (phonetic, má)
How to remember it
(pause marker) · Heisig RSH #1785
口 mouth + 麻 hemp
Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.
Phonetic series: characters sharing the sound component 麻
Siblings built with the same phonetic component 麻 (má) — compare how they read:
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 麻 sound component | má | hemp, flax, sesame; numb |
| 摩 | mó | to scour, to rub, to grind; friction |
| 磨 | mó | millstone; to grind, to polish, to rub, to wear out |
| 魔 | mó | demon, evil spirit; magic, spell |
| 靡 | mí | to scatter, to disperse; to divide |
| 糜 | mí | rice gruel, congee; mashed |
| 麽 | mó | interrogative particle |
| 縻 | mí | harness, halter; to tie up |
Words containing 嘛
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 达赖喇嘛 | Dá lài Lǎ ma | Dalai Lama |
| 干嘛 | gàn má | what are you doing?; whatever for?; why on earth? |
| 喇嘛教 | Lǎ ma jiào | Lamaism; Tibetan Buddhism |
| 要嘛 | yào ma | either ...; or ... |
| 班禅喇嘛 | Bān chán Lǎ ma | Panchen Lama |
| 喇嘛庙 | lǎ ma miào | lamasery; temple of Tibetan Buddhism |
| 喇嘛 | lǎ ma | lama, spiritual teacher in Tibetan Buddhism |
| 唵嘛呢叭咪吽 | ǎn má ní bā mī hōng | om mani padme hum (Buddhist mantra) |