摸 mō to caress
to caress; to stroke; to gently touch; to feel with the hand; to grope
How to remember 摸: 扌 hand + 莫 cannot = to caress. The girl at the zoo reaches out a hand and cannot leave, longing to caress the lamb.
Component breakdown
摸 = 扌 hand + 莫 cannot
- 扌 hand
- 莫 cannot
The girl at the zoo reaches out a hand and cannot leave, longing to caress the lamb.
How it is used
- Deliberate, exploratory touch with the hand: 摸摸头 (mō mō tóu) "pat/touch someone's head."
- 摸索 mōsuǒ "to grope/feel one's way" also works figuratively for trial-and-error learning: 摸索经验 "to feel out experience through practice."
- Distinguish from 碰 pèng "to touch/bump," which is often accidental or incidental contact; 摸 is intentional and tactile.