消磨

xiāomó
verb #9,974

Meanings

  1. 1 to while away (time)
  2. 2 to wear down
  3. 3 to idle away

Examples

Tā xǐhuan zài kāfēidiàn xiāomó shíjiān.
He likes to while away time in coffee shops.
Zhè fèn gōngzuò xiāomó le tā de yìzhì.
This job wore down his willpower.
Bùyào xiāomó zài wúliáo de shìqíng shàng.
Don't waste time on boring things.

Tips

usage
Two nuances: 消磨时间 is neutral (killing time), but 消磨意志/热情 is negative (eroding willpower/passion).
memory
(diminish) + (grind) = grind something away slowly, like time or motivation.

Stroke Order

xiāo