挠痒 (náo yǎng) — to scratch an itch | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

to scratch an itch

Examples

，挠痒。
Wén zi yǎo le wǒ yì kǒu, wǒ yì zhí zài náo yǎng.
A mosquito bit me, and I've been scratching the itch.
，挠痒？
Nǐ bèi shàng yǒu gè bāo, yào bú yào wǒ bāng nǐ náo yǎng?
There's a bump on your back — do you want me to scratch it for you?
挠痒。
Zhè zhǒng yào gāo tú shàng qù zhī hòu jiù bù xiǎng náo yǎng le.
After applying this ointment, you won't feel like scratching.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

挠náoscratch

“挠” scratch acts on “痒” itch, so it means to scratch an itch.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 撓; 挠 is its simplified writing.

扌堯撓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

堯

堯yáo撓náo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 撓 pairs 扌 (hand) with 堯 to give the sound; the simplified 挠 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

疒羊痒

Meaning part形符xíngfú

疒疒nèillness

Sound part声符shēngfú

羊

羊yáng痒yǎng

Same sound today

痒 is built from 疒, showing illness, and 羊, which gives its sound.

Appears in

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