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攥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
攥zuànto hold, to grip, to graspv, 23 strokes, radical 扌, rank #20712, Very Hard
zuàn(zuan4) T4
  1. 1to hold, to grip, to grasp
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March 24, 2026

攥zuàn(zuan4)

The character 攥 (zuàn) means to hold or grip something tightly, often with the hands. It implies a firm grasp or control over an object, and is commonly used in contexts where physical strength or determination is involved, such as holding onto something precious or important.

Strokes23Radical扌Frequency#20712DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of holding or gripping can symbolize the importance of safeguarding one's possessions or values, reflecting a cultural emphasis on preservation and care.

Memory Tip

Imagine your hand forming a tight fist around a precious gem (the character looks like a hand gripping something). The sound 'zuàn' can remind you of 'grasping tightly' like a 'squeeze' on a gemstone.

Meanings of 攥

zuàn(zuan4)
1to hold, to grip, to grasp
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 攥

攥Simplified
23Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 攥

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Podcast: 攥

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AI Study Notes for 攥

Quick Contrast

握 (wò) - use 攥 when emphasizing a tight or forceful grip, while 握 suggests a more general act of holding.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 攥 with other characters that also mean to hold, like 拿 (ná), which is more general. This word is more informal and commonly used in spoken language. Common collocations include '攥紧' (to grip tightly) and '攥住' (to hold onto).

HSK Study Tips

While 攥 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your ability to express actions involving holding or gripping. Focus on recognizing its usage in conversational contexts and how it relates to other words like 拿 (ná) and 抓 (zhuā) which also deal with holding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 攥 with similar characters like 拿, using it incorrectly in phrases like '攥书' (to hold a book) instead of '拿书'. Always ensure that the context is appropriate for the connotation of a tight grip.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 攥

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Etymology of 攥

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 纂 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 攥

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 纂 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half纂 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 攥? 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 攥?

Decomposition of 攥

IDS Structure⿰扌纂
攥Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
纂zuan3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 攥?

How to say to hold, to grip, to grasp in Chinese

“to hold, to grip, to grasp” in Chinese is攥zuàn

The character 攥 (zuàn) means to hold or grip something tightly, often with the hands. It implies a firm grasp or control over an object, and is commonly used in contexts where physical strength or determination is involved, such as holding onto something precious or important.

When to use 攥

Be careful not to confuse 攥 with other characters that also mean to hold, like 拿 (ná), which is more general. This word is more informal and commonly used in spoken language. Common collocations include '攥紧' (to grip tightly) and '攥住' (to hold onto).

攥 or something close to it

握 (wò) - use 攥 when emphasizing a tight or forceful grip, while 握 suggests a more general act of holding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 攥 with similar characters like 拿, using it incorrectly in phrases like '攥书' (to hold a book) instead of '拿书'. Always ensure that the context is appropriate for the connotation of a tight grip.

Write 攥

攥

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

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Grammar Patterns of 攥

攥 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. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 5

Complete the Sentence

她____紧双手放在腿上,以掩饰其颤抖.

She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling.

Example Sentences for 攥 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她攥紧双手放在腿上,以掩饰其颤抖.

tā zuàn jǐn shuāng shǒu fàng zài tuǐ shàng, , yǐ yǎn shì qí chàn.

She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling.
2
亚历克丝攥紧拳头,牙咬得咯咯响。

yà lì kè sī zuàn jǐn quán tóu, , yá yǎo dé kǎ kǎ。

Alex clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
3
他觉得钓丝不紧,也不重,攥在手里很轻松的.

tā jué dé diào sī bù jǐn, , yě bù, zhòng , zuàn zài shǒu lǐ hěn qīng.

He felt no strain nor weight and he held the line lightly.
4
加里将一枚便士攥在手中。

jiā lǐ jiāng yī méi biàn shì zuàn zài shǒu zhōng。

Gary clutched a penny in his fist.
5
科烈把钱攥在湿淋淋的手心里,打了个唿哨,游走了.

kē liè bǎ qián zuàn zài shī lín lín de shǒu xīn lǐ, , dǎ le gè hū, shào , yóu.

The boy seized it in his wet hand and swam away.

Word Family of 攥

Words Containing This Character1
攥zuànto hold
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 攥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 攥

It is pronounced as 'zuàn'.

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