1. Plum: This is the most common meaning of "mei." It refers to the plum fruit (Prunus mume), which is a popular symbol of resilience and purity in Chinese culture.
2. Surname: "Mei" is also a common surname in China, meaning "plum."
3. Beautiful: While not a direct translation of "mei," the character can be used in some contexts to refer to beauty or elegance. This is particularly true when combined with other characters, like in the phrase "měilì" (美丽), which means "beautiful."
4. Sister: The character "mei" (妹) can also mean "sister," although this is a less common usage than the others.
To determine the correct meaning of "mei," you need to consider the context in which it is used. If you provide me with the specific sentence or phrase where you saw "mei," I can help you determine its meaning.