doek3 mo4琢磨

Jyutpingdoek3 mo4

Yaledeuk mòh

動詞

Definition

To cut and polish gems, or to ponder and think deeply.

to carve, cut, and polish jade or gemstones
to think deeply; to ponder; to mull over

neutraldaily actionsdescriptions

How it's used

Refers primarily to the physical act of carving or polishing jade, but is frequently used metaphorically to describe deep, focused contemplation. When used for thinking, it implies a process of turning an idea over in one's mind to fully grasp its nuances or implications. It carries a slightly more intellectual or deliberate tone than simple thinking words like諗.

Examples

le1呢faai3塊juk6玉sek6石jiu1要maan6慢maan2慢doek3琢mo4磨sin1先wui2會leng3靚。

This piece of jade needs to be polished slowly to look beautiful.

ngo5我hai2喺dou6度doek3琢mo4磨gan2緊dim2點joeng2樣gaai2解kyut3決ni1呢go3個man6問tai4題。

I am pondering how to solve this problem.

Common phrases

doek3琢mo4磨jat1一faan1番

to ponder over something for a while

sai3細sam1心doek3琢mo4磨

to carefully polish or contemplate

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 琢磨 as used in Mandarin, where the pronunciation and usage can differ slightly. In Cantonese, ensure you distinguish the literal sense of crafting from the abstract sense of deep thought to avoid confusion in casual speech.