Hanzi Writer

How to Write 磋 (cuō) — Meaning “polish / consult”

cuō HSK Level 7 14 strokes Radical: 石

磋 (cuō) means "polish / consult" in Chinese. It has 14 strokes with the radical 石, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 76% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 切磋 (qiē cuō), 磋商 (cuō shāng), 磨磋 (mó cuō).

Due to its 14 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 磋 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 磋 - cuō

Practice Writing 磋 (cuō)

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How to Write 磋

The character 磋 (cuō) is written with 14 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 石 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does cuō (磋) Mean in Chinese?

磋 means polish / consult.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 磋 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character磋
Pinyincuō (cuo)
Meaningpolish / consult
Strokes14
Radical石
HSK Level7
Difficulty4.2/5

Origin of 磋

磋 combines the radical 石 (stone) with 差 (difference/uneven). In ancient China, jade or bone was polished by rubbing with a stone tool, making the surface smooth and removing unevenness—hence the 'polish' meaning. The 'consult' sense extends from the idea of repeatedly rubbing or working through a discussion, like polishing an idea.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a stone (石) grinding away the rough spots (差) to give a gleaming shine—that's the slow, careful rub of 'polish' or a deep 'consult.'

Common Words with 磋

切磋 qiē cuō
to learn from each other by exchanging views
磋商 cuō shāng
consult / negotiate
磨磋 mó cuō
polish / deliberate

Example Sentences

我们经常一起切磋球技。

wǒ men jīng cháng yì qǐ qiē cuō qiú jì

We often practice and improve our ball skills together.

双方正在进行磋商。

shuāng fāng zhèng zài jìn xíng cuō shāng

Both sides are currently deliberating.

这块玉石需要细细磨磋。

zhè kuài yù shí xū yào xì xì mó cuō

This jade needs to be carefully polished.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
磋 (current) cuō 14 石
硝 xiāo 12 石
硪 wò 12 石
硫 liú 12 石
Stroke order practice for 磋 - cuō

Practice Writing 磋 (cuō)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 磋 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 磋

磋 combines 石 (stone) on the left and 差 (cuō, uneven/difference) on the right. The stone radical indicates the action of polishing or grinding stone, while 差 suggests the process of making rough surfaces smooth by removing unevenness.

More HSK Level 7 Characters

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Characters with Radical 石

石shí矶jī矸gān矻kū矽xì矾fán矿kuàng砀dàng码mǎ砂shā

Other 14-Stroke Characters

㕡hé僖xī僚liáo僦jiù僧sēng僬jiāo僭jiàn僮tóng僳sù儆jǐng