摸 (mō) — to touch, to feel (with the hand); to grope, to feel for (by touch); to probe, to try to find out (by exploring)
Definition
摸 is the everyday verb for physical touch with the hand, and extends to feeling for or probing something in the dark. Compare 摸索, which is a separable verb (摸索着) meaning to fumble or explore a method in an unfamiliar situation — more figurative.
verb
to touchto feel (with the hand)to gropeto feel for (by touch)to probeto try to find out (by exploring)
Easily confused
Examples
- 摸，？Qǐng mō yí xià wǒ de shǒu, shì bu shì hěn lěng?Please feel my hand; see if it's very cold.
- 摸。Tā zài hēi àn zhōng màn màn mō zhe zǒu.He slowly groped forward in the dark.
- 摸。Tā mō chū le shì chǎng de guī lǜ.He figured out the pattern of the market.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
摸 pairs 手 (hand) with 莫; 手 shows the meaning is about a hand action, and 莫 gives the sound.
Appears in
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