co1磋

Jyutpingco1

Yalechō

Uncommon

Definition

To deliberate, consult, or discuss; to scrutinize or polish.

to consult; to discuss; to deliberate
to polish or grind; to scrutinize

colloquialcommunication

How it's used

Used primarily in spoken Cantonese to describe the process of reaching a consensus or fine-tuning a plan through discussion. It carries a sense of back-and-forth negotiation or careful consideration of details rather than a formal meeting. It is often paired with the particle 吓 to soften the tone, suggesting a casual or collaborative approach.

Examples

nei5你tung4同keoi5佢co1磋hou2好mei6未aa4呀？

Have you finished conferring with him yet?

Common phrases

co1磋hou2好

to reach an agreement after discussion

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the literary idiom 磋跎 which refers to wasting time. In daily speech, 磋 is almost exclusively used as a verb for discussion or negotiation, whereas in formal written Chinese, it is rarely used as a standalone verb.