挪

• Pinyin: nuó
• Hanzi breakdown: 扌 = hand radical (from 手); 那 = 冄 + 阝 — phonetic component indicating direction; combined meaning: to hand-move something elsewhere

Meaning

To move; to shift; to relocate something slightly from its place.

Refers to small, deliberate physical movement of objects or positions. Often implies a minor adjustment rather than a full relocation. Also used figuratively for shifting funds (挪用) or time (挪时间). Colloquial and practical in register.

Examples

1. 请把那把椅子往旁边挪一挪，好让大家通过。 Please scoot that chair over a bit so everyone can get through.
2. 他把书桌挪到靠窗的位置，这样白天读书时光线更充足。 He moved his desk to a spot by the window so there would be better light for reading during the day.
3. 会议室太小，我们只好把桌子都挪到走廊里，腾出足够的空间举办活动。 The meeting room was too small, so we had to move all the tables into the hallway to clear enough space for the event.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, physical space, logistics

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 拍照前，工作人员把展台上的摆设仔细挪了挪位置，确保构图美观，背景整洁，不让任何多余的物品进入镜头。(Before the photo was taken, the staff carefully shifted the display items on the platform to ensure the composition was attractive and the background clean, so that no extraneous objects entered the frame.)
• 她把冰箱挪离墙壁约十厘米，以便空气能够在背面充分流通，有助于提升制冷效率并延长使用寿命。(She moved the refrigerator about ten centimetres away from the wall to allow air to circulate adequately at the back, which helps improve cooling efficiency and extend its lifespan.)

Don't Say

• 将'挪'用于大规模或正式的搬迁，如'公司要挪到新城区' — 挪 implies a small shift; for major relocation, use 搬迁 or 迁移 instead

Origin & History

挪 = 扌 (hand radical) + 那 (that/there) — a hand moving something to 'that' place; suggests a directed, deliberate shift

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal