磨
Character learning workspace

mó / mò · millstone

Master the form, understand its parts, and learn how it behaves in real Chinese.

HSK 3.0 · Level 7-9Frequency #4671
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Learn every stroke in 磨

Replay the complete order, pause on difficult movements, inspect one stroke at a time, then write it yourself with live correction.

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Stroke graphics: Make Me a Hanzi / Arphic Public License
Sound changes meaning

Readings & meanings

磨 has 2 dictionary pronunciations. The examples show how each reading behaves in real words.

mó

to rub; to grind; to polish

打磨dǎ mó · to polish
mò

grindstone; to grind; to turn round

拉磨lā mò ·
Step-by-step explorer

See how 磨 is constructed

Switch between the accumulated form and the isolated movement of each stroke.

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Writing notes

Shape and proportion

16Total strokes

Count each continuous pen movement once, including turns and hooks.

Upper-left enclosureCharacter structure

Keep the outer frame stable without crowding the enclosed strokes.

石Key radical

Use the highlighted radical in the animation as a visual anchor for remembering the form.

Print and practise

Download a 磨 writing sheet

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Includes the stroke sequence, progressive tracing, and blank writing squares. Generated locally in your browser.

Vocabulary in context

Common words with 磨

Open a word for its full breakdown, or listen before reading the meaning.

móto rub; to grind; to polish
mògrindstone; to grind; to turn round
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Example sentences

Notice where 磨 sits in each complete thought.

Mǎ lí yā zài dǎ mó tā de zhǐ jiǎ.瑪麗亞在打磨她的指甲。

Mary is filing her nails.

Source: Tatoeba #10369278 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ shì zhe xiāo mó shí jiān.我试着消磨时间。

I was trying to kill time.

Source: Tatoeba #501603 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Zài zhé mó tā yě méi yòng, tā bú huì zhāo gòng de.再折磨他也没用,他不会招供的。

There's no point torturing him anymore, he won't confess.

Source: Tatoeba #1788023 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Wǒ zài jiē shàng sàn bù, xiāo mó shí jiàn.我在街上散步,消磨時間。

I strolled along the streets to kill time.

Source: Tatoeba #475215 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yǒu xiē rén wéi le xiāo mó shí jiàn ér dú shū.有些人為了消磨時間而讀書。

Some people read books to kill time.

Source: Tatoeba #10352077 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Xiāo mó shí jiān de zuì yǒu xiào bàn fǎ dāng rán hái shì liáo tiān chuī niú kǎndàshān.消磨时间的最有效办法当然还是聊天吹牛侃大山。

The most effective way to kill time, of course, is chatting, bragging, and having wild conversations.

Source: Tatoeba #3709225 · CC BY 2.0 FR
Turn reference into recall

How to study 磨 in context

  1. Say mó / mò, then recall the core meaning: millstone.
  2. Write all 16 strokes while keeping the upper-left enclosure balanced.
  3. Use it in 打磨 (dǎ mó), meaning “to polish”.
  4. Read the complete sentence aloud once, then cover the translation and explain how 磨 works in that context.

Definitions and traditional forms are compiled from Make Me a Hanzi, HSK curriculum data, and CC-CEDICT. Sourced example sentences link to Tatoeba; editorial examples are labeled separately. Review data sources and licenses.