Meaning and Usage
The character 磕 (kē) primarily means 'to bump' or 'to knock against something,' often causing a small injury or sound. It is commonly used to describe accidental collisions, especially minor injuries like bruises or cuts from hitting hard objects.
Common Contexts
磕 is frequently used in everyday speech when talking about children playing and getting minor scrapes or when someone accidentally hits a part of their body against furniture or other objects.
Extended Usage
Besides the literal meaning, 磕 can also be used metaphorically to describe struggling or working hard on a difficult task, as in 磕了半天, implying persistence despite difficulty.
Collocations and Patterns
- 磕到 + body part/object: to bump into something
- 磕磕碰碰: a reduplicated form describing frequent minor bumps or scrapes, often used for children playing
- 磕了半天: to struggle or spend a long time on something
Usage Tips
磕 is often confused with 撞 (zhuàng), which also means 'to bump' but usually implies a stronger or more forceful collision. 磕 tends to describe lighter, more accidental bumps. When describing injuries, 磕 often implies minor cuts or bruises rather than serious harm.