莫 (mò) - Do not & there is none

莫Tone 4

mò ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

莫 · mò

Do not;

there is none;

do not have;

negative particle meaning 'do not' or 'there is not';

also used as a surname.

Do notthere is nonedo not have

Usage highlights

Do notThere is noneUnexpectedlyMoscowDo not knowCannot help

Synonyms

  • 勿— Do not (negative imperative)
  • 无— There is not; without

Antonyms

  • 有— Have; there is
  • 必— Must; certainly

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please do not speak (莫说).
  • There is no one here (莫人).
  • He is unexpectedly talented (莫大才华).
  • It is better to be early than late (莫如早到).

Collocations

  • Do not(莫要)
  • There is none(莫有)
  • Unexpectedly(莫大)
  • Moscow(莫斯科)
  • Do not know(莫知)
  • Cannot help(莫奈何)

Idioms

  • Mysterious and unpredictable(莫测高深)
  • There is no one to turn to(莫展一筹)
  • Extremely great(莫大之恩)
  • Nowhere to go(莫适所从)
  • Unspeakable mystery(莫可名状)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as a negative adverb in classical Chinese, equivalent to 'do not' or 'there is not' in modern Chinese.
  • Also functions as a surname, with historical figures like Mo Chou (莫愁) in Chinese folklore.
  • Appears in literary works and poetry to express negation or absence.

FAQ