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摩擦 (mó cā) — (noun) friction (physical resistance between surfaces); (noun) friction, conflict, tension (figurative, between people or groups); (verb) to rub, to chafe

Definition

摩擦 covers both physical rubbing and figurative 'friction' (conflict between people). For everyday hand-rubbing, 揉 is softer (knead/massage) and 搓 is rolling between the palms.

noun
friction (physical resistance between surfaces)frictionconflicttension (figurative, between people or groups)
verb
to rubto chafe

Examples

  • 摩擦。
    Jī qì yùn zhuǎn shí huì chǎn shēng mó cā.
    Friction is generated when the machine runs.
  • 摩擦，。
    Tā men zhī jiān yǒu yì xiē mó cā, xū yào hǎo hǎo gōu tōng.
    There is some friction between them; they need to communicate well.
  • 摩擦。
    Tā bù tíng dì mó cā shuāng shǒu qǔ nuǎn.
    He kept rubbing his hands together to warm them.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

摩mórub
擦cāwipe

摩 (rub) and 擦 (wipe) both describe rubbing, so the word means friction.

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

摩 combines 手 (hand) with 麻; the hand part relates to the meaning, and 麻 gives the sound.

Open 摩 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
察
察chá擦cā
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 is the hand, showing that 擦 is an action done with the hand, such as wiping or scrubbing; the right part 察 gives the sound.

Open 擦 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & AgreementPhysics & Chemistry

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