磨擦 (mó cā) — to rub; to cause friction

Definition

Variant spelling of 摩擦. Besides the literal 'rub, friction', it commonly means interpersonal 'friction, conflict' (e.g. with colleagues). Use 摩擦 as the standard form.

verb
to rubto cause friction
Easily confused

Examples

  • 磨擦。
    Zhè liǎng gè biǎo miàn xiāng hù mó cā huì chǎn shēng rè liàng.
    These two surfaces rubbing against each other will produce heat.
  • 磨擦。
    Gōng zuò zhōng nán miǎn yǔ tóng shì fā shēng mó cā.
    At work, it's inevitable to have friction with colleagues.
  • 磨擦。
    Tā yòng shǒu mó cā yǎn jing.
    He rubbed his eyes with his hand.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

磨mórub
擦cārub

磨 and 擦 both describe rubbing, so together they mean friction or rubbing.

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
靡
靡mí磨mó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

磨 combines 石, showing rock, with 靡 for the sound.

Open 磨 →

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 →

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