矛 (máo): spear

Meanings

1 spear
2 lance

Examples

矛盾

Máodùn

contradiction; conflict

长矛

Chángmáo

lance; spear

Tips

memory

Pictograph of a spear — the character looks like a weapon

Components

pictograph

矛 máo

spear; pike

Pictograph of a long spear standing point-up — the top hook is the curved barbed tip, the vertical stroke is the shaft, and the short flick midway is where the head is lashed to the pole. 矛 is itself a Kangxi radical (#110), indexing 矜 to pity and 矟 lance.

Radical

Spear Kangxi #110

A small radical group with very low productivity. The character itself is most learners' only encounter with it — usually inside the chengyu-flavoured compound 矛盾 (máodùn, 'spear and shield' = contradiction). Filed under 矛 are mainly classical military terms.