字母
zì mǔ
Alphabet
字母 (zìmǔ) refers to the individual letters that make up an alphabet, such as the English alphabet (A, B, C) or the letters used in Pinyin. It can also refer to the alphabet as a whole set of letters.
When to use it
Neutral and widely used. It's the standard term for 'letter' or 'alphabet' in most contexts. When specifically referring to the entire list or chart of letters, 字母表 (zìmǔ biǎo) can be used.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “dzuh-MOO.” The first syllable is a falling tone, and the second is a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 英文字母yīng wén zì mǔEnglish alphabet letters
- 拼音字母pīn yīn zì mǔPinyin alphabet letters
- 字母表zì mǔ biǎoalphabet (chart/list)
Examples
英文字母有多少个？
yīng wén zì mǔ yǒu duō shǎo gè ？
How many letters are there in the English alphabet?
你能用字母拼出来吗？
nǐ néng yòng zì mǔ pīn chū lái ma ？
Can you spell it out using the letters?
学习拼音字母很重要。
xué xí pīn yīn zì mǔ hěn zhòng yào 。
Learning the Pinyin letters is very important.
Pro tip: While 字母 can mean 'alphabet,' it often refers to individual 'letters.' If you want to specifically say 'the alphabet chart' or 'the list of letters,' 字母表 (zìmǔ biǎo) is more precise.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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