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扼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
扼èto clutch, to grasp; to choke, to stranglevg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
扼èto grip forcefullyunknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
扼èto clutch atunknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
扼èto guardunknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
扼èto controlunknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
扼èto holdunknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #39931, Very Hard
è(e4)e T4
  1. 1to clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle
  2. 2to grip forcefully
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March 24, 2026

扼è(e4)

The character 扼 (è) represents the concept of grasping or clutching something firmly. It can refer to both physical actions, such as choking or gripping, and metaphorical uses, like controlling a situation. This character often conveys a sense of forcefulness or intensity in the action described.

Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#39931DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'grasping' is linked to controlling energy or 'qi' in the body. The use of the term in this context reflects a broader understanding of balance and control in Chinese health practices.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce eagle (the radical 扌, which relates to hands) clutching its prey tightly. The sound 'è' can remind you of the struggle of the prey as it tries to escape the strong grip of the eagle. Visualize the powerful grip and intense scenario to link the character to its meaning.

Meanings of 扼

è(e4)
1to clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle
2to grip forcefully
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 扼

扼Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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AI study notes for 扼

Quick Contrast

握 (wò) - choose 扼 (è) for a stronger sense of forcefulness or intensity in grasping, whereas 握 (wò) implies a gentler, more controlled hold.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 扼 is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It often appears in literary or descriptive contexts. Common collocations include 扼住 (to choke) and 扼制 (to control), so pay attention to how it pairs with other verbs.

HSK Study Tips

While not in the HSK vocabulary lists, 扼 can help learners understand more complex characters involving control or grip. Focus on the context it appears in to grasp its nuances, especially in phrases that indicate restriction or force.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 扼 with similar characters like 抓 (zhuā, to grab) due to their physical action meanings. Remember that 扼 implies a stronger, often negative action like choking or forceful control, while 抓 indicates a more general act of grabbing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扼

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Etymology of 扼

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 厄 represents the sound. Simplified form of 搤.

Memory hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)厄
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

扼 = 扌 + 厄. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 扼

IDS Structure⿰扌厄
扼Full character
=
扌shou3
left
厄e4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 扼?

How to say to clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle in Chinese

“to clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle” in Chinese is扼è

The character 扼 (è) represents the concept of grasping or clutching something firmly. It can refer to both physical actions, such as choking or gripping, and metaphorical uses, like controlling a situation. This character often conveys a sense of forcefulness or intensity in the action described.

When to use 扼

Be mindful that 扼 is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It often appears in literary or descriptive contexts. Common collocations include 扼住 (to choke) and 扼制 (to control), so pay attention to how it pairs with other verbs.

扼 or something close to it

握 (wò) - choose 扼 (è) for a stronger sense of forcefulness or intensity in grasping, whereas 握 (wò) implies a gentler, more controlled hold.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 扼 with similar characters like 抓 (zhuā, to grab) due to their physical action meanings. Remember that 扼 implies a stronger, often negative action like choking or forceful control, while 抓 indicates a more general act of grabbing.

Write 扼

扼

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

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Grammar patterns of 扼

扼 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

抵押贷款利率最近的回升可能会____杀房地产的复苏。

The recent rebound in mortgage rates could snuff out the housing recovery.

Example sentences for 扼 (4)

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1
抵押贷款利率最近的回升可能会扼杀房地产的复苏。

dǐyā dàikuǎn lìlǜ zuìjìn de huíshēng kěnéng huì èshā fángdìchǎn de fùsū。

The recent rebound in mortgage rates could snuff out the housing recovery.
2
你能扼要说明一下地区会议上提案的重点吗?

nǐ néng è yào shuōmíng yíxià dìqū huìyì shàng tí àn de chóngdiǎn ma?

Can you recap the points included in the regional conference proposal?
3
路易斯·阿姆斯特朗把爵士乐简明扼要地定义为“我一门糊口的手艺”。

lù yì Sī· Ā mǔ Sī tè lǎng bǎ juéshì lè jiǎn míng è yào dì dìngyì wèi“ wǒ yī mén hú kǒu de shǒuyì”。

Louis Armstrong defined jazz pithily as "what I play for a living".
4
你这篇专题文章的可取之处是简明扼要地道出了取得的成就。

nǐ zhè piān zhuāntí wénzhāng de kě qǔ zhī chǔ shì jiǎn míng è yào dìdao chū le qǔdé de chéngjiù。

Your feature has the merit of simply stating what has been achieved.

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Word Family of 扼

Words containing this character8
扼杀to strangle扼殺
扼死to strangle
扼èto guard
简明扼要succinct簡明扼要
扼腕to wring one's hands (literally wring one's wrists)
扼要concise
扼制to control
扼守to hold a pass
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 扼

What does 扼杀 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 扼

The most common use of 扼 is in the context of choking or grasping, often used to describe a strong physical action.

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