勿
wù · HSK 7
do not
🚫 wù sounds like a sharp woah — woah, do not do that
勿 means do not, used in classical and formal negative commands like 勿忘 (do not forget). The sound wù echoes a blurted woah that stops an action.
勿 — pictograph of a knife 刀 with blood drops
Originally a pictograph showing a knife with drops or marks beside it, possibly depicting the slaughter of an animal or a banner. The character was later borrowed phonetically to mean 'do not' or 'must not,' a meaning unrelated to its original form. Today it survives mainly in classical prohibitions like 勿忘.