磨蹭 (mó ceng) — to rub or stroke gently; to dawdle; to move slowly; to pester; to nag

Definition

Verb with two main senses: (1) to rub or stroke lightly, and (2) to dawdle or move slowly — often used to urge children to hurry. Negate with 别磨蹭 to mean 'stop dawdling'.

verb
to rub or stroke gentlyto dawdleto move slowlyto pesterto nag

Examples

  • 磨蹭。
    Tā yòng shǒu qīng qīng de mó ceng zhe zhuō zi.
    He gently rubbed the table with his hand.
  • 磨蹭，！
    Bié mó ceng le, wǒ men kuài chí dào le!
    Stop dawdling, we're going to be late!
  • 磨蹭。
    Hái zi yì zhí mó ceng zhe mā ma yào mǎi wán jù.
    The child kept pestering his mom to buy a toy.

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.

磨mórub
蹭cèngscrape

磨 'rub' and 蹭 'scrape' together mean rub gently or dawdle.

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
靡
靡mí磨mó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

磨 combines 石, showing rock, with 靡 for the sound.

Open 磨 →

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng蹭cèng
Same sound today

蹭 pairs 足 (foot) with 曾, which gives the sound.

Open 蹭 →

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