磋 cuō to polish
to polish; to buff; to deliberate
How to remember 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.
Component breakdown
磋 = 石 stone + 差 differ from
- 石 stone
- 差 differ from
- 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 is used
- 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.