莫 mò cannot

源How it came to be

The sun sinking into grass, drawn thick above and below. It meant dusk, but was borrowed for "none" and "cannot" so fully that dusk got a new character, with a second sun.

用How it is used

• Literary "don't / none / nothing" - 莫大 (mòdà) greatest, 莫过于 (mòguòyú) nothing surpasses, 爱莫能助 (àimò-néngzhù) willing but unable to help.
• Also "can it be that...?": 莫非 (mòfēi) could it be that. Rich in idioms: 莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào) baffling, 一筹莫展 (yìchóu-mòzhǎn) at one's wit's end, 变幻莫测 (biànhuàn-mòcè) unpredictable.

字Characters built with 莫

• 慕 to admire
• 幕 curtain
• 摸 to caress
• 模 model
• 漠 desert
• 寞 silent
• 募 to levy
• 墓 grave
• 暮 dusk
• 膜 membrane

词Words with 莫

• 一筹莫展yìchóu-mòzhǎnto be unable to find a solutionHSK 8
• 变幻莫测biànhuàn-mòcèto change unpredictablyHSK 8
• 莫名其妙mòmíngqímiàobafflingHSK 9
• 莫大mòdàgreatestHSK 9
• 莫非mòfēican it be possible thatHSK 9

句Example sentences

• 莫要太伤心！ Mò yào tài shāngxīn!Don't grieve too much.
• 对不起，实在爱莫能助！ Duìbuqǐ, shízài àimònéngzhùI’m sorry, I’d love to help but my hands are tied.