挠 náo to yield
to yield; to scratch
How to remember 挠: 扌 hand + 尧 a legendary ancient emperor-sage = to yield. At the museum, a boy tries to push over a statue of a legendary ancient emperor-sage with one hand, but the stone refuses to yield.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
挠 = 扌 hand + 尧 a legendary ancient emperor-sage
- 扌 hand meaning
- 尧 a legendary ancient emperor-sage sound
At the museum, a boy tries to push over a statue of a legendary ancient emperor-sage with one hand, but the stone refuses to yield.
How it came to be
The hand gives the meaning and the right part gives the sound.
How it is used
- To scratch (an itch), and to yield/hinder: 挠痒痒 (náo yǎngyang) to scratch an itch, 抓耳挠腮 (zhuā'ěr-náosāi) to scratch head and cheeks in anxiety.
- 阻挠 (zǔnáo) = to obstruct; 不屈不挠 (bùqū-bùnáo) = unyielding, never giving in.
- 挠 in the abstract = to bend/back down (百折不挠 undaunted by setbacks).