grind, mash, grate
擂 centers on applying force to break something down into smaller pieces or a paste: grinding, mashing, or grating.
擂 combines 扌 (hand) with 雷, which likely contributes the sound ライ. The hand radical suggests an action done by hand, such as grinding or mashing.
The left side is a hand 扌, and the right side is thunder 雷. Imagine a hand grinding ingredients with the force and noise of thunder.
For ライ, picture grinding a lime with your hand: lime -> ライ, and the thunderous grinding turns it into paste.
to flatter; to toady (to); to curry favor (with); to butter up
low-ranking monk (tasked with doing kitchen chores)
ground toasted sesame seeds; ground sesame
ground food
grinding
mortar (for grinding)
cone-shaped; conical
to flatter; to toady (to); to curry favor (with); to butter up; to grind sesame seeds
sycophancy; toadying; apple-polishing; brown-nosing; sycophant; flatterer; toady; apple-polisher; brown-noser; ass-kisser