馒 mán steamed buns
怎么记住“馒”: 饣 food + 曼 graceful = steamed buns. At the food stall, the old baker lifts the bamboo lid with one graceful move and reveals a tray of soft steamed buns.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
馒 = 饣 food + 曼 graceful
- 饣 food meaning
- 曼 graceful sound
At the food stall, the old baker lifts the bamboo lid with one graceful move and reveals a tray of soft steamed buns.
How it came to be
Food gives the meaning and the right part the sound.
用法
- Occurs only in 馒头 (mántou): plain steamed bun (no filling), a staple food especially in northern China.
- Distinguish 馒头 (no filling) from 包子 (bāozi, filled steamed bun) and 花卷 (huājuǎn, twisted roll).
- 馒 never stands alone; note the neutral tone: 馒头 mán·tou.