Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
磨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
磨móto rubHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto grindHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto polishHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto sharpenHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto wear downHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto die outHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto waste timeHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto pesterHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto insistHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mógrindstoneHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨móto turn roundHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mómillstone; to grind, to polish, to rub, to wear outHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto rubHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto grindHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto polishHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto sharpenHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto wear downHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto die outHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto waste timeHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto pesterHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto insistHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mògrindstoneHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòto turn roundHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
磨mòmillstone; to grind, to polish, to rub, to wear outHSK 7, v, 16 strokes, radical 石, rank #4897, Very Hard
mó(mo2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1to rub
  2. 2to grind
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

磨mó(mo2)

The character 磨 (mó) primarily means 'to grind' or 'to polish,' often used in contexts involving physical action, such as grinding grain or polishing surfaces. It can also imply the act of wearing something down over time, or metaphorically, wasting time or pestering someone. This versatility makes it applicable in both tangible and abstract situations.

Strokes16Radical石Frequency#4897DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, grinding grains is a fundamental agricultural process, symbolizing hard work and the preparation of food. This character is often associated with the notion of diligence, reflecting the importance of effort in achieving results.

Memory Tip

Imagine a millstone (磨) turning round and round, grinding grain into flour. The shape of the character resembles a wheel in motion, suggesting the action of grinding, while the 'm' sound connects to the idea of 'motion' or 'movement.' Picture the grinding process in your mind to reinforce both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 磨

mó(mo2)
primary
1to rub
2to grind
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 磨

磨Simplified
16Strokes
石Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4897Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 磨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 磨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 磨

Quick Contrast

磨 (mó, grind) vs 刻 (kè, carve) — choose 磨 when referring to grinding or polishing, while 刻 is for cutting into a surface.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 磨 with similar verbs like 切 (qiē, to cut) or 磨 (mó, to grind) due to their overlapping meanings. This character is used in both formal and informal contexts, so pay attention to collocations like 磨刀 (mó dāo, to sharpen a knife) and 磨时间 (mó shíjiān, to waste time). Be cautious with the third tone; confusion with the second tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

磨 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it connects with other action verbs like 切 (qiē, to cut) and 磨 (mó, to grind) at similar proficiency levels. Focus on its usage in different contexts and practice constructing sentences to enhance fluency.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 磨 as 'mà' (fourth tone), which can lead to confusion with a different meaning. The correct tone is 'mó' (second tone). Additionally, some may incorrectly use it in contexts not referring to grinding or polishing, such as using it for cutting tasks.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 磨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 磨 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 磨

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 麻 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)麻
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 磨

Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 麻 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half石 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half麻 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 磨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 磨?

Decomposition of 磨

IDS Structure⿸麻石
磨Full Character
=
麻ma2
enclosing
石dan4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 磨?

How to say to rub in Chinese

“to rub” in Chinese is磨mó

The character 磨 (mó) primarily means 'to grind' or 'to polish,' often used in contexts involving physical action, such as grinding grain or polishing surfaces. It can also imply the act of wearing something down over time, or metaphorically, wasting time or pestering someone. This versatility makes it applicable in both tangible and abstract situations.

When to use 磨

Learners often confuse 磨 with similar verbs like 切 (qiē, to cut) or 磨 (mó, to grind) due to their overlapping meanings. This character is used in both formal and informal contexts, so pay attention to collocations like 磨刀 (mó dāo, to sharpen a knife) and 磨时间 (mó shíjiān, to waste time). Be cautious with the third tone; confusion with the second tone can change the meaning.

磨 or something close to it

磨 (mó, grind) vs 刻 (kè, carve) — choose 磨 when referring to grinding or polishing, while 刻 is for cutting into a surface.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 磨 as 'mà' (fourth tone), which can lead to confusion with a different meaning. The correct tone is 'mó' (second tone). Additionally, some may incorrectly use it in contexts not referring to grinding or polishing, such as using it for cutting tasks.

Write 磨

磨

Practice writing 磨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 磨

磨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 12 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

这双鞋把脚____破了。

These shoes rubbed my feet raw.

Example Sentences for 磨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我来上菜，你把帕尔马干酪磨碎。

wǒ lái shàng cài， ， nǐ bǎ pà ěr mǎ gān lào mó。

I'll dish up and you can grate the Parmesan.
2
磨碎一汤匙鲜姜，放入平底锅。

mó suì yī tāng chí xiān jiāng， ， fàng rù píng dǐ。

Grate a tablespoonful of fresh ginger into a pan.
3
然后那些咖啡豆被磨碎，包装好作为咖啡粉出售。

rán hòu nà xiē kā fēi dòu bèi mó suì， ， bāo zhuāng hǎo zuò wéi kā fēi fěn chū。

The beans are then ground and packaged for sale as ground coffee.
4
想想人质曾遭受的折磨，获救后其身体状况已经是出奇地好了。

xiǎng xiǎng rén zhì zēng zāo shòu de zhē mó， ， huò jiù hòu qí shēn tǐ zhuàng kuàng yǐ jīng shì chū qí dì hǎo。

The former hostage is in remarkably good shape considering his ordeal.
5
粗花呢从不过时，手感很好，结实耐磨。

cū huā ne cóng bù guò shí， ， shǒu gǎn hěn， hǎo ， jié shí。

Tweed is timeless, tactile and tough.
6
我的鞋跟儿给铺好的石头磨坏了。

wǒ de xié gēn ér gěi pū hǎo de shí tóu mó huài le。

I scuffed the heel of my shoe on the stonework.
7
请给我磨一磅咖啡好 吗 ?

qǐng gěi wǒ mó yī bàng kā fēi hǎo?

Would you please grind a pound of coffee for me?
8
所有人起立为他不可磨灭的英勇之举鼓掌。

suǒ yǒu rén qǐ lì wéi tā bù kě mó miè de yīng yǒng zhī jǔ gǔ zhǎng。

Every person stood to applaud his unforgettable act of courage.
9
这是一种让人受尽折磨、痛苦难忍的杀人方法。

zhè shì yī zhǒng ràng rén shòu jìn zhē mó、 、 tòng kǔ nán rěn de shā rén fāng。

This is a torturous, agonizing way to kill someone.
10
被自恋症折磨的人会变得只专注于自己的事情，或者不断地自我炫耀。

bèi zì liàn zhèng zhē mó de rén huì biàn dé zhī zhuān zhù yú zì jǐ de shì qíng， ， huò zhě bù duàn dì zì wǒ xuàn。

Those who suffer from narcissism become self-absorbed or chronic show-offs.

Word Family of 磨

Compounds5
蘑mo2mushroom
嚰
礳
耱mo4a kind of farm tool
饝
Words Containing This Character20
折磨zhémóto torment
磨móto rub
琢磨zhuómóto ponder
磨损mósǔnabrasion磨損
消磨to sap
磨难mónàna torment磨難
磨蹭to rub lightly
磨练to temper oneself磨練
磨合móhéto break in
打磨dǎmópolish
磨坊mill
磨牙pointless arguing
耐磨wear resistant
磨炼to temper oneself磨煉
磨砺to sharpen on grindstone磨礪
研磨milling
磨擦friction
磨灭to erase磨滅
不可磨灭indelible不可磨滅
磨床grinder
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蘑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 磨

Common phrases include 磨刀 (to sharpen a knife) and 磨时间 (to waste time).

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 磨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.