弄

nòng

old variant of 弄[nong4]

Jade (玉) + two hands (廾) = to handle, play with

The image is of two hands (廾) holding up a jade gem (玉), turning and admiring it — the act of handling something precious gave rise to the broader sense of manipulating or playing with things.

玉+廾→弄
廾Two hands held up togetherSemantic
玉JadeSemantic

你把这件事弄清楚了吗?

nǐ bǎ zhè jiàn shì nòng qīng chǔ le ma?

Have you gotten this matter sorted out?

他不小心把衣服弄脏了。

tā bù xiǎo xīn bǎ yī fu nòng zāng le。

He carelessly got his clothes dirty.

Words with 弄

摆弄

bǎi nòng

to move back and forth

弄巧成拙

nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō

to overreach oneself

拨弄

bō nòng

to move to and fro (with hand, foot, stick etc)

逗弄

dòu nòng

to tease

里弄

lǐ lòng

lanes and alleys

显弄

xiǎn nòng

to flaunt

丢眉弄色

diū méi nòng sè

to wink at sb

作弄

zuò nòng

to tease

侍弄

shì nòng

to look after

侮弄

wǔ nòng

to mock

倒弄

dǎo nong

to move (things around)

劐弄

huō leng

(dialect) to mix

More characters with 玉

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