Word

琢磨 (zuó mo) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

Meaning of 琢磨

动 dòng verb

to ponder

我在琢磨这个问题。

wǒ zài zuó mo zhè ge wèn tí

I am pondering this question.

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Word breakdown

琢 zuó — to carve, to chisel

磨 mó / mo — to grind, to polish

Contextual pronunciation: mo

1 打磨 dǎ mó — to polish HSK 7
- 打 to strike, to work on physically
- 磨 to grind, to rub smooth
Example

工匠仔细地打磨这块玉石。

gōng jiàng zǐ xì de dǎ mó zhè kuài yù shí

The craftsman carefully polished this piece of jade.
2 折磨 zhé mó — to torment HSK 7
- 折 to break down, to wear down
- 磨 to grind, to wear away persistently
Example

她被内疚折磨得睡不着觉。

tā bèi nèi jiù zhé mó de shuì bù zháo jiào

She was tormented by guilt and couldn't sleep.
3 消磨 xiāo mó — to while away; to wear down HSK 7
- 消 to dissipate, to eliminate (time/energy)
- 磨 to grind away, to wear down gradually
Example

我们在公园里消磨了整个下午。

wǒ men zài gōng yuán lǐ xiāo mó le zhěng gè xià wǔ

We whiled away the whole afternoon in the park.
4 磨合 mó hé — break in, run in HSK 7
- 磨 grind, wear
- 合 fit together, mesh
Example

新车需要磨合一段时间。

xīn chē xū yào mó hé yī duàn shí jiān

A new car needs to be broken in for a period of time.
5 磨损 mó sǔn — wear down HSK 7
- 磨 grind, rub, wear through friction
- 损 damage, loss, deterioration
Example

轮胎因为长时间使用而磨损。

lún tāi yīn wèi cháng shí jiān shǐ yòng ér mó sǔn

The tires wore down due to long-term use.

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6 磨炼 mó liàn — to temper; to steel; to toughen HSK 7
- 磨 to grind; to wear down through friction
- 炼 to refine; to temper through fire
Example

这些困难磨炼了我的意志。

zhè xiē kùn nán mó liàn le wǒ de yì zhì

These difficulties have tempered my will.
7 磨难 mó nàn — hardship HSK 7
- 磨 grinding, wearing down through difficulty
- 难 difficulty, suffering, calamity
Example

他经历了许多磨难，但从未放弃。

tā jīng lì le xǔ duō mó nàn dàn cóng wèi fàng qì

He experienced many hardships but never gave up.

Structure & writing

1 琢 zuó — to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨")

琢 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 王 wáng — monarch; supreme ruler

王 is a component in 33 characters

HSK 1

玩 wán to play (a game) 现 xiàn to appear; to show; to manifest 班 bān a group organized for work or study

HSK 2

望 wàng to look, to look into the distance 球 qiú sphere (geometric solid equidistant from center to all surface points)

HSK 3

丢 diū to lose; to misplace 主 zhǔ owner; one who possesses property or power 环 huán ring-shaped object 理 lǐ to govern; to manage; to administer

HSK 4

琴 qín guqin, a plucked string instrument made of paulownia wood, originally with five strings, later seven

HSK 5

润 rùn to moisten; to add oil or water to prevent dryness 狂 kuáng mentally deranged; insane; mad 玉 yù jade; a fine-grained, hard, lustrous mineral used for ornaments and carvings 玫 méi (lit.) a type of beautiful stone or jade 玻 bō see "玻璃": a hard, brittle, transparent material with no fixed melting point, made by melting quartz sand, limestone, soda ash, etc. at high temperature

Show more HSK 5 characters (+3)

珍 zhēn treasure; precious thing 瑰 guī (lit.) a jade-like stone 璃 li see '玻璃': ① hard, brittle transparent material (glass); ② glass-like plastic

HSK 6

呈 chéng to take on (a form, color, or state); to appear as 珠 zhū pearl (also written 真珠), a lustrous spherical gem formed inside certain freshwater or marine mollusks, used in medicine and as an ornament 皇 huáng monarch; emperor

HSK 7

噩 è frightful and ominous; horrifying and inauspicious 斑 bān spots or stripes of a contrasting color 旺 wàng prosperous; flourishing; (of fire) blazing fiercely 枉 wǎng crooked, bent; referring to error or deviation 汪 wāng (lit.) deep and vast (of water)

Show more HSK 7 characters (+7)

琐 suǒ trivial, trifling, petty 琢 zuó to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨") 瑕 xiá flaw or blemish in jade; fig. defect or shortcoming 瑞 ruì auspicious omen; good luck 璀 cuǐ (lit.) bright and brilliant in color 璨 càn (lit.) fine jade 碧 bì (lit.) blue-green jade

1.2 豕 shǐ — pig/swine radical

豕 is a component in 11 characters

HSK 1

家 jiā family; household as a social unit based on marriage and kinship

HSK 4

象 xiàng elephant (the large mammal)

HSK 5

逐 zhú to chase, to pursue

HSK 6

豪 háo person of outstanding talent

HSK 7

毅 yì resolute, firm and unwavering in purpose 琢 zuó to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨") 缘 yuán reason; cause 蒙 méng ignorant, lacking knowledge 豚 tún piglet; pig in general

Show more HSK 7 characters (+2)

邃 suì deep and distant (of time or space) 隧 suì tunnel; underground or mountain passage

1.3 丶 zhǔ — dot stroke; ancient punctuation mark, now a basic stroke component

丶 is a component in 21 characters

HSK 1

太 tài high; great

HSK 2

为 wéi to do; to act

HSK 3

主 zhǔ owner; one who possesses property or power 勺 sháo ladle; spoon (a handled utensil for scooping)

HSK 4

乓 pāng onomatopoeia for gunshots, slamming doors, or crashing sounds 压 yā to press down on an object (often from above) 尤 yóu exceptional; outstanding 户 hù single-panel door; door in general 术 shù skill; technique; art; learning

HSK 5

义 yì justice; righteous principle or moral conduct 兔 tù rabbit; hare (mammal with large ears, split upper lip, short tail, and strong hind legs, known for swift running and jumping; includes domestic and wild varieties; fur used for textiles and clothing) 叉 chā fork (a utensil with two or more tines at one end and a handle at the other) 玉 yù jade; a fine-grained, hard, lustrous mineral used for ornaments and carvings 良 liáng good; excellent

HSK 6

凡 fán ordinary, commonplace 匆 cōng hurried; hasty

HSK 7

丸 wán small round object (〜子, 〜儿) 斥 chì to reprimand; to scold 犬 quǎn dog 琢 zuó to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨") 蔑 miè (lit.) nothing, without

Stroke order

2 磨 mó / mo — to rub; to wear away

磨 is a component in 1 characters

HSK 7

蘑 mó edible mushroom (e.g. button mushroom, pine mushroom)

consists of

2.1 麻 má — herbaceous plant of the hemp family (e.g. cannabis, ramie, abutilon, flax); stem-bark fiber used to make rope and cloth

麻 is a component in 4 characters

HSK 6

嘛 ma particle indicating something is obvious or self-evident 摩 mó to rub; to move back and forth against something

HSK 7

磨 mó to rub; to wear away 魔 mó evil demon or malevolent spirit in religion or mythology; metaphor for harmful forces

2.2 石 shí — rock; stone (hard mineral matter forming the earth's crust)

石 is a component in 30 characters

HSK 3

矿 kuàng mineral resources 码 mǎ a symbol or figure representing a number; a code number 碗 wǎn bowl (a round vessel with a wide mouth and small base, used for holding food)

HSK 4

研 yán to grind finely 破 pò to break; become damaged or incomplete 础 chǔ foundation stone; stone base placed beneath a pillar 硕 shuò large; tall and big 确 què accurate; true; factual

HSK 5

硬 yìng hard; rigid (opposite of 软) 碌 lù mediocre; accomplishing nothing 碎 suì to break into pieces; to shatter 碰 pèng to collide; to bump into something

HSK 6

砍 kǎn to chop or hack with a knife, axe, etc. 砖 zhuān brick (building material made by firing clay in a kiln, usually rectangular or square) 碍 ài to hinder, obstruct 碳 tàn carbon (chemical element, symbol C, atomic number 6)

HSK 7

岩 yán steep cliff 拓 tuò to open up (land, roads) 砌 qì to lay bricks or stones with mortar 砸 zá to strike or smash with a heavy object; (of a heavy object) to fall on something 碑 bēi stone stele inscribed with text, erected to commemorate an event, achievement, or as a marker

Show more HSK 7 characters (+9)

碟 dié small shallow dish or saucer for food 碧 bì (lit.) blue-green jade 磁 cí magnetism; the property of attracting iron, nickel, cobalt and other metals 磅 bàng pound (unit of weight, symbol lb; 1 pound = 0.4536 kg) 磊 lěi (lit.) numerous and scattered in disorder (see "磊落") 磋 cuō (lit.) to carve or polish ivory into objects 磕 kē to knock against something hard 磨 mó to rub; to wear away 礁 jiāo reef; rock near the water surface in sea, river, or lake

Stroke order