操 (cāo) - To grasp, hold & to operate, control

操Tone 1

cāo ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

操 · cāo

To grasp, hold;

to operate, control;

to conduct, manage;

to drill, exercise;

behavior, conduct;

surname Cao.

To grasp, holdto operate, controlto conduct, manage

Usage highlights

OperationExerciseConduct/behaviorMoral integrityMilitary drillControl

Synonyms

  • 持— to hold, maintain
  • 握— to grasp, hold
  • 控— to control
  • 行— conduct, behavior

Antonyms

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

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He operates machinery (操作机器).
  • She exercises every morning (做早操).
  • They conduct business ethically (操守 business ethics).
  • The soldiers drill daily (操练 daily).

Collocations

  • Operation(操作)
  • Exercise(体操)
  • Conduct/behavior(操行)
  • Moral integrity(操守)
  • Military drill(操练)
  • Control(操纵)

Idioms

  • Easy as turning one's hand(易如反掌)
  • Same old story(重操旧业)
  • Righteous conduct(操履无玷)
  • Calculated move(操奇计赢)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'to grasp, hold' - the hand radical 扌 indicates manual action.
  • Extended to mean 'to control, manage' and then 'conduct, behavior' - what one 'holds' in terms of principles.
  • Military usage for drills (操练) reflects disciplined, repeated practice.
  • As a surname, relatively uncommon but exists in historical records.

FAQ