(question particle) turns a statement into a yes/no question; (particle) marks a pause; names a topic
吗 is the soft question ending: 你好吗? Read má it asks what, in 干吗; read mǎ only in 吗啡, morphine.
GF0025–2021 character list · 一级WHOLE GLYPH & STRUCTURE
ZDIC: 形声; the mouth side carries the meaning, 马 the sound.
WHOLE CHARACTER
(question particle) turns a statement into a yes/no question; (particle) marks a pause; names a topic
吗 is the soft question ending: 你好吗? Read má it asks what, in 干吗; read mǎ only in 吗啡, morphine.
ZDIC: 形声; the mouth side carries the meaning, 马 the sound.
MEANING
mouth; opening
Mouth/speech/opening clue; may also be a repeated visual element.
In 吗: meaning Shown with its documented or clearly limited role.
SOUND
horse
Sound clue in simplified 妈.
In 吗: sound Sound side per ZDIC: the particle's ma is 马's mǎ syllable with neutral tone; the role is grammatical, not a meaning link.
Checking for a Mandarin voice…