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
挠 = 扌 hand + 尧 a legendary ancient emperor-sage
- 扌 hand
- 尧 a legendary ancient emperor-sage
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 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).