Definition
卡住 is a verb-complement structure (V+住) where 卡 means 'to wedge or jam' and 住 as the result complement means 'to hold/stay in place'. Together it describes something being stuck, blocked, or gripping tightly — often mechanical jams, clogged pipes, or a body part caught in something. You can insert 得 or 不 between the two characters to express possibility: 卡得住 ('can be wedged in place') / 卡不住 ('cannot be fixed').
r.v.
to jamto get stuck (mechanically or physically)to catch hold ofto clutch tightly
Examples
- 卡住，。Shuǐguǎn bèi záwù kǎ zhù le, shuǐ liú bù chūlai.The pipe is clogged with debris — water can't flow out.
- 卡住，。Tā de shǒuzhǐ bèi mén fèng kǎ zhù le, téng de zhí jiào.His finger got caught in the door crack and he screamed in pain.
- ，卡住。Dǎyìnjī kǎzhǐ le, yì zhāng zhǐ kǎ zhù zài chūzhǐkǒu.The printer is jammed — a sheet of paper is stuck at the output slot.
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