摩

Physical action of rubbing or scouring one surface against another via friction. In poetic or hyperbolic contexts, this extends to "brushing against" or "barely reaching" (e.g., touching the clouds). In Buddhist contexts, it refers to ritual hand gestures (mudras) or the metaphorical polishing of the mind to remove delusions.

Primarily a transitive verb. In early texts, it rarely functions as a standalone noun for "friction," typically requiring a compound.

Contrast with 磨: While both involve grinding/rubbing, 摩 implies manual application, whereas 磨 refers to mechanical grinding or attrition involving stone or tools.

Contrast with 摸: While both involve touch, 摸 denotes feeling, groping, or exploring a surface; 摩 implies greater pressure and friction intended to clean, change, or affect the surface.

Contains the hand radical (手), signifying manual application, which distinguishes it from the stone radical (石) found in 磨.