摟 (lǒu) - To hug & to embrace

摟Tone 3

lǒu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

摟 · lǒu

To hug;

to embrace;

to hold closely;

to gather up;

to collect;

to drag;

to pull.

To hugto embraceto hold closely

Usage highlights

To hug tightlyTo embrace the waistTo gather up moneyTo hold in one's armsTo pull the triggerTo scoop up

Synonyms

  • 抱— to hold or carry in arms; to embrace
  • 拥— to embrace; to hug
  • 揽— to take into one's arms; to embrace

Antonyms

  • 推— to push
  • 放— to release; to let go

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She hugged her child tightly (搂着她的孩子).
  • He gathered up the fallen leaves (搂起落叶).
  • The mother held the baby in her arms (母亲搂着婴儿).
  • They embraced after a long separation (久别重逢后他们搂在一起).

Collocations

  • To hug tightly(紧紧搂住)
  • To embrace the waist(搂腰)
  • To gather up money(搂钱)
  • To hold in one's arms(搂抱)
  • To pull the trigger(搂火)
  • To scoop up(搂搂)

Idioms

  • To mix the true and the false(搂揽掺假)
  • To mix truth and falsehood(搂头盖脸)
  • To mix black and white(搂搂抱抱)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the hand radical (扌) with the phonetic component 娄, suggesting an action performed with the hands.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, public hugging or embracing was historically less common than in Western cultures, though this is changing.
  • The character carries both affectionate connotations (hugging) and practical meanings (gathering, collecting).

FAQ