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磨炼 (mó liàn) — to temper (oneself), to steel (oneself) through hardship

Definition

磨炼 means to temper or steel oneself through hardship, with a literary, written feel. Unlike 锻炼, it emphasizes inner character rather than physical training.

verb
to temper (oneself)to steel (oneself) through hardship

Examples

  • 磨炼。
    Bù duì de shēng huó mó liàn le tā de yì zhì.
    Life in the military tempered his will.
  • ，磨炼。
    Liú xué sān nián, tā mó liàn le zì jǐ.
    Studying abroad for three years, he tempered himself.
  • ，磨炼。
    Zhǐ yǒu jīng lì guò shī bài, cái néng mó liàn chū jiān qiáng de pǐn gé.
    Only by experiencing failure can one forge a strong character.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

磨mógrind
炼liànrefine

磨 and 炼 both mean hardening or refining, expressing tempering oneself.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 煉; 炼 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 炼 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 煉; in others (锻炼) it is 鍊.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn煉liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 煉 pairs 火 (fire) with 柬 as its sound part. The simplified 炼 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 炼 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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