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掣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
掣chèto pull, to drag; to hinder, to pull backv, 12 strokes, radical 手, rank #20680, Very Hard
掣chèto drawunknown, 12 strokes, radical 手, rank #20680, Very Hard
掣chèto withdrawunknown, 12 strokes, radical 手, rank #20680, Very Hard
掣chèto flash pastunknown, 12 strokes, radical 手, rank #20680, Very Hard
chè(che4) T4
  1. 1to pull, to drag; to hinder, to pull back
  2. 2to draw
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March 24, 2026

掣chè(che4)

The character 掣 (chè) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to drag.' It can imply hindering or withdrawing from a situation, often suggesting a sense of resistance. This word is commonly used in contexts where something is being drawn back or restrained.

Strokes12Radical手Frequency#20680DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of pulling back or resisting can be symbolic of various social dynamics, such as negotiation or conflict resolution. The concept of withdrawal is often tied to traditional beliefs about balance and harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to pull a stubborn dog on a leash. The character 掣 looks like a hand (扌) grasping something (the radical for 'to pull') while the rest of the character suggests the action of pulling back. Picture the dog resisting and the struggle of the pull, which connects to the meaning of this character.

Meanings of 掣

chè(che4)
1to pull, to drag; to hinder, to pull back
2to draw
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 掣

掣Simplified
12Strokes
手Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 掣

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Podcast: 掣

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AI Study Notes for 掣

Quick Contrast

拉 (lā, to pull) — use 掣 when emphasizing resistance or withdrawal, while 拉 focuses on the action of pulling without that nuance.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 掣 with similar characters, as it has a specific meaning related to pulling or dragging. It is more commonly used in written or formal contexts, so using it in casual conversations might feel out of place. Collocations include phrases like 掣回 (pull back) and 掣住 (hinder).

HSK Study Tips

While 掣 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can help to connect with other action verbs related to movement or manipulation, such as 拉 (lā, to pull) and 拖 (tuō, to drag). Focus on understanding its context to better grasp its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 掣 with similar characters like 拉, using it incorrectly in phrases like 掣车 (which should be 拉车 for 'pull a cart'). Ensure you use the correct verb based on context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 掣

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Etymology of 掣

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

Phonosemantic compound. 手 represents the meaning and 制 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)手
+
Phonetic (sound)制
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 掣

Phonosemantic compound. 手 represents the meaning and 制 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half手 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half制 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 掣? 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 掣?

Decomposition of 掣

IDS Structure⿱制手
掣Full Character
=
制zhi4
top
手shou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 掣?

How to say to pull, to drag; to hinder, to pull back in Chinese

“to pull, to drag; to hinder, to pull back” in Chinese is掣chè

The character 掣 (chè) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to drag.' It can imply hindering or withdrawing from a situation, often suggesting a sense of resistance. This word is commonly used in contexts where something is being drawn back or restrained.

When to use 掣

Be cautious not to confuse 掣 with similar characters, as it has a specific meaning related to pulling or dragging. It is more commonly used in written or formal contexts, so using it in casual conversations might feel out of place. Collocations include phrases like 掣回 (pull back) and 掣住 (hinder).

掣 or something close to it

拉 (lā, to pull) — use 掣 when emphasizing resistance or withdrawal, while 拉 focuses on the action of pulling without that nuance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 掣 with similar characters like 拉, using it incorrectly in phrases like 掣车 (which should be 拉车 for 'pull a cart'). Ensure you use the correct verb based on context.

Write 掣

掣

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 掣

Words Containing This Character5
掣chèto pull
风驰电掣fast as lightning風馳電掣
掣肘to impede
掣电to flash掣電
牵掣to impede牽掣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 掣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 掣

It is more commonly found in written Chinese or formal contexts, so using it casually may not be appropriate.

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