(nuò) - To hold & to grasp

Tone 4

nuò | 13 strokes | radical:

· nuò

To hold;

to grasp;

to take in hand;

to challenge;

to provoke.

To holdto graspto take in hand

Usage highlights

To challenge to battleTo hold a writing brushTo grasp firmlyTo take up armsTo provoke a fightTo hold in hand

Synonyms

  • to hold; to grasp
  • to hold; to maintain
  • to challenge; to provoke

Antonyms

  • to release; to let go
  • to loosen; to relax grip

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He held a brush in his hand (搦管).
  • The general challenged the enemy to battle (搦战).
  • She grasped the opportunity firmly (搦住机会).
  • The child clutched the toy tightly (搦紧玩具).

Collocations

  • To challenge to battle(搦战)
  • To hold a writing brush(搦管)
  • To grasp firmly(搦紧)
  • To take up arms(搦兵)
  • To provoke a fight(搦斗)
  • To hold in hand(搦在手中)

Idioms

  • To take up the brush and write(搦管操觚)
  • To challenge for a decisive battle(搦战求决)
  • To grasp the pen and write(搦翰著书)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant to press with the hand or to hold; later extended to mean challenging or provoking.
  • Used in classical literature and military contexts to describe issuing a challenge or taking up arms.
  • Appears in formal or literary contexts, less common in modern everyday language.

FAQ