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拶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
拶zǎnto squeeze, to press hard, to forceg, 9 strokes, radical 扌
拶zǎnto press or squeeze hardunknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌
拶zāto squeeze, to press hard, to forceg, 9 strokes, radical 扌
拶zāto press or squeeze hardunknown, 9 strokes, radical 扌
zā(za1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to squeeze, to press hard, to force
  2. 2to press or squeeze hard
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March 24, 2026

拶zā(za1)

The character 拶 (zā) means to squeeze or press hard, often with a sense of forcefulness. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical pressure or exertion, such as gripping an object tightly or applying pressure to a surface. The nuance suggests not just any squeezing, but a determined and forceful action.

Strokes9Radical扌
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of pressure is significant in practices like acupuncture and massage therapy, where the idea of applying the right amount of pressure can promote healing and balance. This relates closely to the meaning of 拶 as it emphasizes physical interaction.

Memory Tip

Imagine your hands forming a powerful grip around a solid object. The radical 扌 (shou) suggests 'hand', and when you think of 拶 (zā), picture using your hands to press down hard on something stubborn, like a stubborn lid. The 'z' sound can remind you of 'zip' as in zipping up your strength to squeeze tightly.

Meanings of 拶

zā(za1)
primary
1to squeeze, to press hard, to force
2to press or squeeze hard
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 拶

拶Simplified
9Strokes
扌Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 拶

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Podcast: 拶

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AI Study Notes for 拶

Quick Contrast

挤 (jǐ) vs 拧 (nǐng) — choose 拶 (zā) when emphasizing a forceful grip, while 挤 (jǐ) implies a squeezing action often to extract or compress, and 拧 (nǐng) suggests twisting rather than pressing.

Usage Notes

Learners should be aware that 拶 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may be more prevalent in written Chinese or specific contexts. It is often used with words like 压 (yā) meaning 'to press' to describe actions that involve strong pressure. Be cautious with the tone; the first tone is crucial to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 拶 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it helps in mastering related terms in the second level, such as 压 (yā). Focus on practicing its use in combination with other verbs to describe actions involving physical exertion or pressure.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 拶 with similar characters like 按 (àn), which also means 'to press' but with a softer connotation. For instance, saying 拶 a button when you mean 按 a button can lead to misunderstandings, as 拶 implies a stronger action.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 拶

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Etymology of 拶

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 拶

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The giveawayhand
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 拶? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 拶?

Decomposition of 拶

IDS Structure⿰扌⿱巛夕
拶Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
巛chuan1
top
夕xi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 拶?

How to say to squeeze, to press hard, to force in Chinese

“to squeeze, to press hard, to force” in Chinese is拶zǎn

The character 拶 (zā) means to squeeze or press hard, often with a sense of forcefulness. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical pressure or exertion, such as gripping an object tightly or applying pressure to a surface. The nuance suggests not just any squeezing, but a determined and forceful action.

When to use 拶

Learners should be aware that 拶 is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may be more prevalent in written Chinese or specific contexts. It is often used with words like 压 (yā) meaning 'to press' to describe actions that involve strong pressure. Be cautious with the tone; the first tone is crucial to convey the correct meaning.

拶 or something close to it

挤 (jǐ) vs 拧 (nǐng) — choose 拶 (zā) when emphasizing a forceful grip, while 挤 (jǐ) implies a squeezing action often to extract or compress, and 拧 (nǐng) suggests twisting rather than pressing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 拶 with similar characters like 按 (àn), which also means 'to press' but with a softer connotation. For instance, saying 拶 a button when you mean 按 a button can lead to misunderstandings, as 拶 implies a stronger action.

Write 拶

拶

Practice writing 拶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 拶

Words Containing This Character1
拶zāto press or squeeze hard
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 拶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 拶

Yes, while primarily physical, 拶 can also describe situations where pressure is applied metaphorically, such as in discussions about deadlines.

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