erode; sap; idle away
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to erode; to wear down; to sap
Typically used with abstract nouns such as willpower (志气), spirit (精神), or enthusiasm (热情), indicating a gradual draining or weakening.
Cuò挫
zhé折
huì会
xiāo消
mó磨
rén人
de的
yì意
zhì志
。
Setbacks will erode a person's willpower.
Cháng长
qī期
bìng病
tòng痛
xiāo消
mó磨
le了
tā他
de的
jīng精
shén神
。
Long-term illness sapped his spirit.
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Bù不
yào要
yīn因
shī失
bài败
ér而
xiāo消
mó磨
le了
jìn进
qǔ取
xīn心
。
Do not let failure wear away your initiative.
verb
to while away; to idle away; to pass (time)
Often implies spending time in a leisurely or wasteful manner, though it can be neutral. Commonly collocates with time words like 时间, 岁月, or 光阴.
Tā他
men们
dǎ打
pái牌
lái来
xiāo消
mó磨
shí时
jiān间
。
They play cards to pass the time.
Tā他
zài在
xiāng乡
xià下
xiāo消
mó磨
le了
zhěng整
gè个
xià夏
tiān天
。
He idled away the whole summer in the countryside.
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Hē喝
chá茶
kàn看
shū书
shì是
xiāo消
mó磨
wǔ午
hòu后
shí时
guāng光
de的
hǎo好
fāng方
shì式
。
Drinking tea and reading books is a good way to while away the afternoon hours.