Definition
抓 (zhuā) is a general-purpose verb for 'grab, catch, scratch' using the hand. Unlike 抢 (qiǎng 'snatch by force') or 偷 (tōu 'steal secretly'), 抓 doesn't imply theft or aggression; it's neutral. For 'catch' it's less formal than 逮捕 (dàibǔ 'arrest by police') and broader than 捉 (zhuō 'catch an animal'). For 'scratch' it's the everyday word, unlike literary 挠 (náo).
verb
to grabto seizeto catchto arrestto scratch (an itch)
Easily confused
- 爬pálook-aliketo crawl (on hands and knees)
Examples
- 。Tā zhuā zhù le wǒ de gēbo.He grabbed my arm.
- 。Jǐngchá zhuā zhù le nà ge xiǎotōu.The police caught that thief.
- ，抓抓。Nǐ de bèi yǎng, wǒ bāng nǐ zhuā yì zhuā.Your back is itchy; let me scratch it for you.
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