Character

矛

máo HSK 5

矛 máo HSK 5

1. spear (ancient weapon with a bronze or iron tip on a long shaft)
2. a surname

Words using 矛 as máo (3)

1 矛盾 máo dùn — contradictory HSK 5
- 矛 spear (representing the offensive/attacking aspect)
- 盾 shield (representing the defensive aspect)
Example

他的说法很矛盾。

tā de shuō fǎ hěn máo dùn

His statements are very contradictory.
2 矛头 máo tóu — spearhead; point of attack; target of criticism HSK 7
- 矛 spear; represents attack or criticism
- 头 head, point, tip; indicates the direction or focus
Example

不要把矛头对准无辜的人。

bú yào bǎ máo tóu duì zhǔn wú gū de rén

Don't direct your criticism at innocent people.
3 自相矛盾 zì xiāng máo dùn — self-contradictory, to contradict oneself HSK 7
- 自 self, oneself
- 相 mutually, reciprocally
- 矛 spear (representing attack/offense)
- 盾 shield (representing defense)
Example

你的前后说法自相矛盾，应该解释清楚。

nǐ de qián hòu shuō fǎ zì xiāng máo dùn yīng gāi jiě shì qīng chu

Your statements before and after contradict each other, you should explain clearly.

Structure & writing

矛 máo — spear (ancient weapon with a bronze or iron tip on a long shaft)

矛 is a component in 2 characters

HSK 5

橘 jú mandarin orange tree, an evergreen tree bearing oblate sweet-sour fruit with red-yellow peel used in medicine

HSK 6

柔 róu soft, pliant (opposite of "刚")

矛 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order