磨 (mó) — to grind; to rub; to polish; to sharpen; to wear down; to consume (time, energy); to while away; to pester; to nag; to keep on at someone
Definition
磨 (mó) is a versatile verb: physically grinding/polishing a surface, figuratively wearing down time or energy, or pestering someone. The 消磨 / 打磨 compounds narrow it to specific senses (wearing away vs. polishing).
verb
to grindto rubto polishto sharpento wear downto consume (time, energy)to while awayto pesterto nagto keep on at someone
Easily confused
Examples
- 。Tā měi tiān zǎo chén dōu zài yuàn zi lǐ mó dāo.He sharpens his knife in the yard every morning.
- 磨，。Bié zài zhè lǐ mó shí jiān le, kuài qù zuò zuò yè.Stop killing time here — go do your homework.
- 磨。Zhè hái zi yì zhí mó zhe mā ma yào mǎi wán jù.The child kept pestering his mother to buy a toy.
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.
磨 combines 石, showing rock, with 靡 for the sound.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.