揉搓 (róu cuo) — to rub with the hands; to knead; to manipulate emotionally; to keep on tenterhooks; to tease; to play jokes on (someone)

Definition

Verb built from 揉 (rub/knead) + 搓 (rub between the palms). Beyond the physical 'rub/knead' sense, it figuratively means emotionally pulling someone back and forth — teasing or keeping them on tenterhooks.

verb
to rub with the handsto kneadto manipulate emotionallyto keep on tenterhooksto teaseto play jokes on (someone)

Examples

  • 揉搓。
    Mā ma zài chú fáng lǐ róu cuo miàn tuán.
    Mom is kneading dough in the kitchen.
  • ，揉搓。
    Tā de huí dá lǎo shì hán hán hu hū, bié zhè yàng róu cuo wǒ le.
    His answers are always vague — don't keep me in suspense like this.
  • 揉搓。
    Tā men zǒng ài yòng nà zhǒng wán xiào lái róu cuo tā.
    They always love to tease him with that kind of joke.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

揉róurub
搓cuōrub between hands

揉 and 搓 both describe rubbing with the hands, so the word means to knead or rub.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
柔
柔róu揉róu
Same sound today

The hand part 手 shows it is an action done with the hand, and 柔 gives the sound.

Open 揉 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 搓 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.