卯 is also the simplified spelling of 夘, 戼.
DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
卯
Mandarin · pinyin mǎo
Meanings
- mortise (slot cut into wood to receive a tenon)
- 4th earthly branch: 5–7 a.m., 2nd solar month (6th March–4th April), Year of the Rabbit
- ancient Chinese compass point: 90° (east)
- (coll.) to concentrate one's strength (variant of 鉚 mǎo)
Characters in this entry
- 卯
- mǎo · fourth earthly branch
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
3 · mao3
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
1character link13same-tone records1source reference
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.Read this spelling in Classical texts
Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.
Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 5 senses · 3 Cantonese readings
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
maau5 · mau3 · mau5
Cantonese word readings for 卯. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
character
- fourth of twelve earthly branches (十二支)
- rabbit (兔) of Chinese zodiac
- period from 5-7 a.m.
- early morning
- mortise
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack