摸

摸 implies searching or exploring by hand, then metaphorically seeking through uncertain exploration.

Phono-semantic compound:

手 (손 수) — semantic, indicating hand action

莫 (막) — phonetic, giving the sound mo / mawk

Thus 摸 originally meant “to search or feel with the hands.”

This naturally extended to meanings like “to explore,” “to investigate,” “to look for a direction.”

In Korean Sino-vocabulary, 摸(모) appears mainly in abstract exploration, academic, investigative, and figurative contexts.

Searching / Exploring:

摸索 (모색) — 방법을 찾음; to seek, explore, try to find a way

摸探 (모탐) — 더듬어 찾음; to probe

摸找 (모조) — 찾아 헤맴; to grope for

Feeling / Touching:

摸摸 (모모) — 더듬어 봄; to feel around

摸取 (모취) — 손으로 더듬어 얻음; to obtain by feeling

Figurative investigation:

摸底 (모저) — 속사정을 알아봄; to probe the truth; to sound out

摸清 (모청) — 분명히 파악함; to clarify by investigation

Idiomatic Sino-Korean expressions:

摸不著頭腦 (모부착두뇌) — 갈피를 못 잡음; cannot figure something out

摸門兒 (모문아) — 요령을 찾다; to find the knack

These reflect the shift from physical searching → mental searching.

摸 vs 摹 vs 模:

They are frequently confused in modern usage but distinct:

摸 — to feel, search, explore

摹 — to trace, copy

模 — pattern, model, imitation (abstract)

Modern Chinese and Japanese sometimes confuse 摸 with 模 in informal writing, but standard forms remain distinct.

Classical citations:

《金史·食貨志》 (History of the Jin Dynasty)

「民間摸索其弊。」

“The common people groped to uncover its defects” — 摸 = probe/explore.

《宋史·張咏傳》 (History of Song Dynasty)

「摸情審理。」

“He felt out the situation and judged the case” — 摸 = to feel out, to assess.

《二刻拍案驚奇》 (Second Collection of Amazing Tales)

「摸了摸身邊，並無錢物。」

“He felt around his body and found no money or belongings” — 摸 = to feel with the hand.

《醒世恒言》 (Stories to Awaken the World)

「摸不著頭腦。」

“He could not make sense of it (lit. couldn’t feel the head or tail)” — 摸 = metaphor for “cannot figure out.”

These examples show the full semantic range from physical touching to abstract exploration.