矛

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spear; lance; pike; CL:支[zhi1]

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Pictograph (象形字)

A spear pointed up and to the right

spear · Heisig RSH #1002

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
以子之矛，攻子之盾	yǐ zǐ zhī máo , gōng zǐ zhī dùn	lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子\|韩非子); turning …
矛头指向	máo tóu zhǐ xiàng	to target sb or sth (for attack, criticism etc)
人民内部矛盾	rén mín nèi bù máo dùn	internal contradiction among the people (pretext for a purge)
矛纹草鹛	máo wén cǎo méi	(bird species of China) Chinese babax (Pterorhinus lanceolatus)
自相矛盾	zì xiāng máo dùn	to contradict oneself; self-contradictory; inconsistent
矛头	máo tóu	spearhead; barb; an attack or criticism
内部矛盾	nèi bù máo dùn	internal contradiction
长矛	cháng máo	pike; lance; CL:把[ba3],柄[bing3]
丈八蛇矛	zhàng bā shé máo	ancient spear-like weapon 18 Chinese feet 尺[chi3] in length, with a wavy spearhead like a …
陆港矛盾	Lù Gǎng máo dùn	tensions between mainland China and Hong Kong (since 1997)
矛斑蝗莺	máo bān huáng yīng	(bird species of China) lanceolated warbler (Locustella lanceolata)
蛇矛	shé máo	ancient spear-like weapon with a wavy spearhead like a snake's body
敌我矛盾	dí wǒ máo dùn	contradictions between ourselves and the enemy; Either you are for us or against us.
闹矛盾	nào máo dùn	to be at loggerheads; to have a falling out
矛柄	máo bǐng	shaft
矛盾	máo dùn	contradiction; CL:個\|个[ge4]; conflicting views; contradictory
矛隼	máo sǔn	(bird species of China) gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)

These characters use 矛 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
矛 sound part	máo	spear, lance
茅	máo	rushes, reeds, grass; surname
袤	mào	longitude; lengthwise; length
蟊	máo	Spanish fly; grain-eating grub
楙	mào	Cydonia japonica; lush