Onyomi: マ · Kunyomi: す.る, みが.く · Meanings: brush (teeth), grind, improve, polish, scour
Kanji for brush teeth, grind, improve, polish, scour
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磨 is formed from 麻 on the top and 石 on the bottom. 麻 originally represents hemp fibers, which were used for rubbing or polishing, while 石 represents stone. Together, they show using a stone to rub, polish, or grind something. From this structure, 磨 came to mean grind, polish, or sharpen.
磨 shows rubbing with a stone, meaning to grind or polish.
Think of rough fibers (麻) being rubbed against a stone (石). That repeated rubbing smooths or sharpens something. This grinding or polishing action is 磨.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 磨く | みがく | to polish, to shine, to burnish, to scour, to scrub, to brush (teeth), to grind (e.g. a lens) | common JLPT-N5 Godan verb with 'ku' ending, Transitive verb |
| 研ぐ | とぐ | to sharpen, to hone, to whet, to grind | common JLPT-N1 Godan verb with 'gu' ending, Transitive verb |
| 磨き | みがき | polish, burnishing | common Noun |
| 磨り減る | すりへる | to be worn down, to wear away, to wear out | Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Intransitive verb |
| すり減らす | すりへらす | to wear away, to rub down, to abrade | Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |
| 擦る | する | to rub, to chafe, to strike (match), to file, to frost (glass) | common Godan verb with 'ru' ending, Transitive verb |
| 摩耗 | まもう | wear, abrasion | Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |
| 磨きをかける | みがきをかける | to polish up (on), to refine, to hone, to round out | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Ichidan verb |
| 磨製石器 | ませいせっき | ground stone tool, polished stone tool | Noun |
| 磨羯宮 | まかつきゅう | Capricorn (10th zodiacal sign), the Goat | Noun |
| 擦れる | すれる | to rub, to chafe | JLPT-N1 Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb |
| 磨き液 | みがきえき | polish, cleaner, polishing liquid | Noun |
| 磨り出す | すりだす | to polish | Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |
| 磨き砂 | みがきずな | polishing sand | Noun |
| すり潰す | すりつぶす | to mash, to grind, to pulverize, to pulverise, to deface | Godan verb with 'su' ending, Transitive verb |