Definition
抠 (kōu) has two distinct uses: as a verb it means to pick/dig out with fingers or to carve into a surface (contrast 刻 kè 'carve' which is more precise for engraving, and 挠 náo 'scratch' which is for itching); as an adjective it means stingy/miserly in everyday speech, similar to 小气 (xiǎo qi) but 小气 can also mean petty, while 吝啬 (lìn sè) is more formal.
verb
to pick (with fingers)to dig outto scratchto carveto cut (into a surface)
adjective
stingymiserly
Easily confused
- 口kǒusound-alikemouth (body part)
- 扣kòusound-alike(verb) to deduct (money), to withhold
Examples
- 抠。Tā bǎ qiáng shàng de dīngzi kōu le chūlái.He picked the nail out of the wall.
- 抠。Tā zài mùbǎn shàng kōu le yí gè huāwén.She carved a pattern on the wooden board.
- 抠，。Tā tài kōu le, lián yí kuài qián dōu bú yuànyì huā.He is so stingy that he won't even spend one yuan.
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