(qiè) - To lift & to carry

Tone 4

qiè | 10 strokes | radical:

· qiè

To lift;

to carry;

to take along;

to lead;

to raise up.

To liftto carryto take along

Usage highlights

To lead by the handTo take one's family alongTo carry a vesselTo take along one's belongingsTo raise the collarTo carry a flask

Synonyms

  • to lift; to carry
  • to lift; to raise
  • to carry; to take along

Antonyms

  • to put down; to release
  • to abandon; to discard

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He lifted the heavy box (挈着沉重的箱子).
  • She took her children along to the market (挈着孩子去市场).
  • The leader guided the team through the project (挈领团队完成项目).

Collocations

  • To lead by the hand(挈手)
  • To take one's family along(挈家)
  • To carry a vessel(挈壶)
  • To take along one's belongings(挈囊)
  • To raise the collar(挈领)
  • To carry a flask(挈瓶)

Idioms

  • To hit the nail on the head(提纲挈领)
  • To lead one's wife and children(挈妇将雏)
  • To raise a jar(挈瓶之知)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese to denote carrying or leading, especially in formal or literary contexts.
  • Appears in idioms related to organization and leadership, such as '提纲挈领' (to grasp the key points).
  • The character combines the radical for hand (手) with the component for cutting (契), suggesting the action of lifting or carrying by hand.

FAQ