About
挲 (suō) is a phono-semantic compound with 沙 (shā, 'sand') above and 手 (shǒu, 'hand') below. The hand radical signals a manual action, while 沙 provides the sound and may evoke the friction of granular sand. The character means to stroke, rub, or gently feel with the hand, and it appears almost exclusively in the compound 摩挲 (mósuō), which describes the continuous, gentle caressing or smoothing of a surface, often conveying affection or deep contemplation.
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