揉

róu
扌 + 柔
HSK 2.0Level 6
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

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

Etymology

A gentle 柔 hand 扌; 柔 also provides the pronunciation

About

揉 is a phono-semantic compound: the left component 扌, the hand radical, signals a manual action, while the right component 柔 (soft, pliable) indicates the intended result and provides the pronunciation. Its core meaning is the physical act of repeatedly pressing and rubbing something to make it softer, as in kneading dough, massaging muscles, or rubbing one's eyes. The combination of hand and softness directly mirrors this process, and the character's use remains confined to these manual softening activities, never extending into abstract concepts.

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈在揉面团。

Māmā zài róu miàntuán.

Mom is kneading dough.

他揉眼睛醒了。

Tā róu yǎnjīng xǐng le.

He rubbed his eyes and woke up.

妹妹揉红了她的脸。

Mèimei róu hóng le tā de liǎn.

Little sister rubbed her face red.

揉面需要耐心。

Róu miàn xūyào nàixīn.

Kneading dough requires patience.

爷爷慢慢揉着疼痛的膝盖。

Yéye mànman róu zhe téngtòng de xīgài.

Grandpa slowly rubs his painful knee.

她揉搓双手让它们暖和。

Tā róucuō shuāngshǒu ràng tāmen nuǎnhuo.

She rubs her hands together to warm them up.

揉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.

厨师仔细揉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.

Related Characters

Component: 扌

把 提 打 报 接 指 据 拉 持 技 找 推 投 护

Component: 柔

蹂 鞣 糅 猱 腬 葇 輮 韖

Example Words

揉搓 搓揉 揉制 揉合 揉和 揉碎 矫揉造作