méi
measure word HSK 7-9 #2,949

Meanings

  1. 1 measure word for small objects (coins, stamps, medals, rings, missiles)

Examples

Tā shōucáng le yì méi Qīngcháo de tóng bì.
He collected a copper coin from the Qing Dynasty.
Yùndòngyuán huòdé le yì méi jīnpái.
The athlete won a gold medal.
Tā mǎi le liǎng méi yóupiào.
She bought two stamps.

Tips

usage
is used for small, flat, or precious items: coins (硬币), medals (奖牌), stamps (邮票), rings (戒指), and missiles/rockets (导弹). It gives objects a sense of individual importance.

Components

radical
tree; wood
Tree radical on the left fits the original meaning of — a small wooden stick or twig snapped off a tree (a measuring rod, a tally piece). The radical anchors the wooden-fragment image even though modern usage now counts coins, medals, missiles. Once a small-wooden-thing, now a small-precious-thing measure word.
semantic
to strike; act on
Right is the rap-radical — a hand wielding a stick, the same 'do something to it' marker found in to change, to teach, to herd. Combined with wood, the literal image is striking a piece of wood: snapping a twig to use as a counter. From that act came the modern measure word — one tally for each small object.

Stroke Order

méi