磨 (mó / mò) – Word of the Day | Toronto Chinese Academy
Learn the Mandarin word “磨 (mó / mò)” — meaning to grind, rub, wear down, or to delay. Includes pinyin, English definitions, example sentences, and visually similar characters.
Simplified： 磨
Pinyin： mó / mò
Traditional： 磨
mó → to grind, rub, wear down, to bother, to procrastinate
mò → millstone
Examples:
1,
他在磨刀。
He is sharpening the knife.
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2,
这个孩子很爱磨人。
This child is very clingy / bothersome.
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3,
时间磨掉了他的脾气。
Time has worn away his temper.
Visually Similar / Easily Confused Characters
At Toronto Chinese Academy, we teach 磨 as both a physical action (grinding, sharpening) and a metaphorical one (time磨掉习惯, life’s磨难). Students also learn to distinguish its pronunciation depending on usage (mó vs mò).