磨

• Pinyin: mó
• Hanzi breakdown: 磨 = 石 (stone) + 麻 (hemp/rough). Grinding with a stone surface.

Meaning

To grind; to polish; to wear down; to dawdle or drag on.

Physical meaning: grinding or polishing (磨刀, 磨豆). Extended meanings: wearing down through friction (磨损), practicing persistently (磨练), or wasting time (磨蹭). The idiom 磨刀不误砍柴工 means preparation saves time overall.

Examples

1. 磨刀不误砍柴工，做事之前要先做好准备。 Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the work of cutting firewood — prepare well before doing things.
2. 这双鞋我穿了三年，鞋底都磨平了。 I've worn these shoes for three years, and the soles are completely worn flat.
3. 经过多年的磨练，他终于成为了一名优秀的厨师。 After years of tempering, he finally became an excellent chef.

Usage Guide

Context: craftsmanship, perseverance, daily life

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 磨刀不误砍柴工。(Sharpening the axe doesn't delay cutting wood.)
• 别磨蹭了，快点！(Stop dawdling — hurry up!)

Don't Say

• 把磨mó和磨mò混淆 (磨mó is to grind; 磨mò as in 磨坊 means mill)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic with 石 (stone) indicating grinding tool and 麻 phonetic. Using stone to wear things down.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal