磨 means “polish, brush”

みがく · migaku

Also: grind, scour, improve

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

みがく, する

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

マ

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 16 strokes

The story

Hemp (麻) over a stone (石): picture a hemp cloth rubbing at stone until it gleams. 磨く is to polish, so every night you 歯を磨く, brush your teeth, and 切磋琢磨 is rivals polishing each other's skills.

Used in 磨く (migaku, to polish/brush), 歯磨き (hamigaki, brushing teeth/toothpaste), and 切磋琢磨 (sessatakuma, improving through friendly rivalry)

More from Handle With Care

• 挟 put between
• 査 examine
• 含 contain
• 接 contact
• 捜 search for
• 採 pick
• 触 touch
• 包 wrap
• 照 shine on
• 詰 pack
• 埋 bury
• 封 seal

Learn 磨 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.