磋 cuō to polish
to polish; to buff; to deliberate
怎么记住“磋”: 石 stone + 差 differ from = to polish. The jeweller rubs the green stone for hours, since no gem may differ from the others, working to polish it until it glows.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
磋 = 石 stone + 差 differ from
- 石 stone meaning
- 差 differ from sound
- ⺶ sheep
- 工 work
The jeweller rubs the green stone for hours, since no gem may differ from the others, working to polish it until it glows.
How it came to be
Stone gives the meaning and the right part the sound; the word means to polish.
用法
- To consult/deliberate together: 磋商 (cuōshāng): to hold talks/negotiate: 双方磋商 (shuāngfāng cuōshāng) the two sides negotiating.
- 切磋 (qiēcuō) means to compare notes / learn from each other (skills): 切磋技艺 (qiēcuō jìyì) to exchange pointers. Formal in the 磋商 sense.