máo

reeds

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
艹 meaning component

  Meaning component

caocǎo

  

grass

is a component form of .

矛 sound component

  Sound component

máo

  

spear

Evolution

茅 Bronze script Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze script

Late Warring States (~250 BC)
茅 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
茅 Clerical script Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Clerical script

Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
茅 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

máo

reeds, rushes, grass; surname; reeds; rushes

 

Máo

surname Mao

Most common words with 茅
Freq.
Word
Meaning

reeds

茅台

Maotai liquor 茅臺酒|茅台酒

茅屋

thatched cottage

名列前茅

to rank among the best

达特茅斯

Dartmouth (place name)