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verb HSK 4
guā
to scrape · to shave · to blow (of wind)

Meaning

刮 is a versatile verb that primarily means to scrape or shave something off a surface using a tool or blade. It also describes strong wind blowing. The character contains the knife radical (刀), reflecting its original meaning of scraping with a sharp implement.

Usage

Commonly used in everyday contexts like shaving (刮胡子), scraping surfaces clean, or describing strong winds. When talking about wind, it's typically used with directional words or combined with 风. The verb often takes specific objects that indicate what's being scraped or shaved off.

Examples

  1. 01
    今天外面刮大风，出门要小心。
    Jīntiān wàimiàn guā dà fēng, chūmén yào xiǎoxīn.
    It's very windy outside today, be careful when going out.
  2. 02
    他每天早上都要刮胡子。
    Tā měitiān zǎoshang dōu yào guā húzi.
    He shaves his beard every morning.

Common collocations

  • 刮胡子
    guā húzi
    to shave (one's beard)
  • 刮风
    guā fēng
    to be windy, the wind blows
  • 刮痧
    guā shā
    to scrape (traditional Chinese therapy)
  • 刮目相看
    guā mù xiāng kàn
    to look at someone with new respect

Origin

The character combines the knife/blade radical (刀) with a phonetic component, originally depicting the action of scraping with a sharp tool.

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