<p>磨 means worn, or damaged, which is used as a verb in this sentence, and 边 means the edges.
When you put a &quot;了&quot; in the middle, The meaning of “磨了边” is
'The “边” has been “磨”', to describe that the shirt has been worn for a long time.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T01:00:25.827Z
2022-03-25T01:00:25.827Z
Jack Chen
<p>磨了边: worn at the edges</p>
<p>白色衬衫和褐色裤子，<br />
A white shirt and brown trousers,<br />
这是他唯一一套体面衣服，<br />
are his only presentable clothes,<br />
衬衫袖口磨了边，<br />
the cuffs worn at the edges,<br />
他把袖子卷到胳膊肘。<br />
he rolls the sleeves up to his elbows.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-24T23:45:18.700Z
What gives the meaning of wearing in the sentence? What is the function of 边 there? I don't quite understand this structure
Vinícius do Carmo Melício
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T03:43:51.273Z
边 = the edge (of the cuffs) https://propercloth.com/reference/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SleeveLength-Diptic.jpg
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T04:09:49.370Z
@Vinícius do Carmo Melício I could have written "frayed" instead of "worn". Look it up!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T05:41:44.253Z
@ViníciusdoCarmoMelício please see Jack Chen's answer about where is the meaning of wearing from.
ALife
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-24T22:44:35.647Z
2022-03-24T22:44:35.647Z
Pedroski
<p>衬衫袖口磨了边 - The end of the cuff of his shirt is worn due to years of rubbing with the wrist and hard objects. This is a descriptive phrase that echos 他唯一一套体面衣服 (his only presentable shirt) to make the point - he is either quite poor or a money savor (節省/簡的人).</p>
<p>&quot;了&quot; indicates the action (磨) on the object (袖口) is completed in the time past.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-25T18:58:50.730Z
2022-03-25T18:58:50.730Z
r13
<p>While I was trying to read a Chinese novelette, I came across this sentence:</p>
<p>白色衬衫和褐色裤子，这是他唯一一套体面衣服，衬衫袖口磨了边，他把袖子卷到胳膊肘。</p>
<p>My initial guess was that 磨边 would mean something such as the edge of something, but it doesn't make sense in this sentence.</p>
<p>Can someone help me? I also don't understand why there is a 了 between 磨 and 边. Is 磨边 a separable word?</p>

<meaning-in-context><mandarin>
What is the meaning of 磨了边?
# What is the meaning of 磨了边?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-24)

While I was trying to read a Chinese novelette, I came across this sentence:

白色衬衫和褐色裤子，这是他唯一一套体面衣服，衬衫袖口磨了边，他把袖子卷到胳膊肘。

My initial guess was that 磨边 would mean something such as the edge of something, but it doesn't make sense in this sentence.

Can someone help me? I also don't understand why there is a 了 between 磨 and 边. Is 磨边 a separable word?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, mandarin


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-03-25. Score: 1

磨 means worn, or damaged, which is used as a verb in this sentence, and 边 means the edges.
When you put a "了" in the middle, The meaning of “磨了边” is
'The “边” has been “磨”', to describe that the shirt has been worn for a long time.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-03-24. Score: 0

磨了边: worn at the edges

白色衬衫和褐色裤子，  
A white shirt and brown trousers,  
这是他唯一一套体面衣服，  
are his only presentable clothes,  
衬衫袖口磨了边，  
the cuffs worn at the edges,  
他把袖子卷到胳膊肘。  
he rolls the sleeves up to his elbows.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What gives the meaning of wearing in the sentence? What is the function of 边 there? I don't quite understand this structure  
> **username_3**: 边 = the edge (of the cuffs) https://propercloth.com/reference/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SleeveLength-Diptic.jpg  
> **username_2**: @username_0 I could have written "frayed" instead of "worn". Look it up!  
> **username_4**: @username_0 please see username_1 username_1's answer about where is the meaning of wearing from.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2022-03-25. Score: 0

衬衫袖口磨了边 - The end of the cuff of his shirt is worn due to years of rubbing with the wrist and hard objects. This is a descriptive phrase that echos 他唯一一套体面衣服 (his only presentable shirt) to make the point - he is either quite poor or a money savor (節省/簡的人).

"了" indicates the action (磨) on the object (袖口) is completed in the time past.


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