Definitions

róu (verb) to knead; to massage; to rub

Etymology

A gentle  hand  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "揉" combines the hand radical (扌) with the component "柔", which serves as a phonetic indicator and contributes a semantic association with softness. Its etymology links to early uses describing the bending or shaping of pliable materials like wood, often through applied heat and hand pressure, while over time its primary meaning shifted to encompass common manual actions such as kneading dough, rubbing surfaces, or massaging muscles.

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈在面团。

Māmā zài róu miàntuán.

Mom is kneading dough.

眼睛醒了。

Tā róu yǎnjīng xǐng le.

He rubbed his eyes and woke up.

妹妹红了她的脸。

Mèimei róu hóng le tā de liǎn.

Little sister rubbed her face red.

面需要耐心。

Róu miàn xūyào nàixīn.

Kneading dough requires patience.

爷爷慢慢着疼痛的膝盖。

Yéye mànman róu zhe téngtòng de xīgài.

Grandpa slowly rubs his painful knee.

搓双手让它们暖和。

Tā róucuō shuāngshǒu ràng tāmen nuǎnhuo.

She rubs her hands together to warm them up.

合不同意见才能达成共识。

Róuhé bùtóng yìjiàn cáinéng dáchéng gòngshí.

Only by blending different opinions can consensus be reached.

厨师仔细捏面团直到它变得光滑。

Chúshī zǐxì róuniē miàntuán zhídào tā biàn de guānghuá.

The chef carefully kneads the dough until it becomes smooth.