抚弄 (fǔ lòng) — to stroke; to fondle; to play with (fingers)

Definition

A literary/formal verb meaning to gently stroke, fondle, or toy with something small (hair, a pet, a pen). The reduplicated form 抚弄着 plus aspect particle is the typical continuous-action pattern, as in the examples.

verb
to stroketo fondleto play with (fingers)

Examples

  • ，抚弄。
    Tā yì biān kàn shū, yì biān qīng qīng fǔ lòng zhe tóu fa.
    She gently stroked her hair while reading.
  • ，抚弄。
    Lǎo rén zuò zài mén kǒu, shǒu lǐ fǔ lòng zhe yì zhī xiǎo māo.
    The old man sat at the door, fondling a kitten in his hands.
  • 抚弄，。
    Tā wú liáo dì fǔ lòng zhe zhuō shàng de bǐ, yì yán bù fā.
    He fiddled with the pen on the table in boredom, saying nothing.

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.

抚fǔstroke
弄nòngplay with/fondle

抚弄 means to stroke or fondle: 抚 is to stroke, and 弄 is to play with.

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 撫; 抚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
無
無wú撫fǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 撫 pairs 手 (hand) with 無 for the sound; the simplified 抚 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 抚 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →

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