抓 (zhuā) - to grab & to scratch

抓Tone 1

zhuā ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 扌

志

抓 · zhuā

to grab;

to scratch;

to seize;

to arrest;

to catch;

to clutch

to grabto scratchto seize

Usage highlights

to catch a thiefto grasp an opportunityto scratch an itchto arrest a criminalto clutch tightlyto capture a moment

Synonyms

  • 捉— to catch; to capture
  • 拿— to take; to hold
  • 握— to grasp; to hold

Antonyms

  • 放— to release; to let go
  • 松— to loosen; to relax

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cat likes to scratch (抓) the sofa.
  • The police will catch (抓) the thief.
  • He grabbed (抓) the opportunity to speak.
  • She scratched (抓) her head while thinking.

Collocations

  • to catch a thief(抓贼)
  • to grasp an opportunity(抓机会)
  • to scratch an itch(抓痒)
  • to arrest a criminal(抓罪犯)
  • to clutch tightly(抓紧)
  • to capture a moment(抓拍)

Idioms

  • To clutch at shadows and grasp the wind(抓影捕风)
  • To scratch the head and rub the ears(抓耳挠腮)
  • To seize the big and release the small(抓大放小)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the hand radical (扌) with the phonetic component 爪 (claw), emphasizing the action of grabbing or scratching.
  • In Chinese culture, '抓周' (zhuā zhōu) is a tradition where items are placed before a one-year-old child to predict their future career based on what they grab.

FAQ