Definition
消磨 has two distinct uses: (1) to while away time, often with a leisure activity; (2) to wear down or sap something intangible like patience, enthusiasm, or will. It differs from 消耗 (to consume resources) and 磨损 (physical wear from friction) in that 消磨 is always about time or abstract qualities, never physical objects.
verb
to while away (time)to wear downto sap (patience, enthusiasm, will, etc.)
Examples
- 消磨。Zhōumò wǒ chángcháng yòng kàn diànyǐng lái xiāo mó shíjiān.I often while away time by watching movies on weekends.
- 消磨。Zhè zhǒng wúliáo de gōngzuò huì xiāo mó rén de rèqíng.This kind of boring work saps people's enthusiasm.
- 消磨。Fēngyǔ bǎ shíbēi shàng de zì dōu xiāo mó diào le.Wind and rain have worn away all the characters on the stone tablet.
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