一拖 (yī tuō) — a single drag or pull (in towing or hauling); a one-drag system or device (e.g., a single-tow truck)

Definition

Literally 'one drag/pull', 一拖 is a technical or product term for a single-tow setup — one vehicle or device pulling another in a single operation. Not common in everyday speech.

noun
a single drag or pull (in towing or hauling)a one-drag system or device (e.g., a single-tow truck)
Measure word · 台
Easily confused

Examples

  • 一拖。
    Zhè liàng yī tuō chē kě yǐ tuō zǒu yí liàng xiǎo qì chē.
    This one-drag truck can tow away a small car.
  • 一拖。
    Tā yòng yī tuō bǎ xiāng zi lā dào le mén kǒu.
    He used a single pull to drag the box to the door.
  • 一拖。
    Zhè ge yī tuō xì tǒng zhī xū yào yí cì cāo zuò.
    This one-drag system only requires one operation.

Origin

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
它
它tā拖tuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拖 uses 手 to show an action done with the hand, and 它 to give its sound.

Open 拖 →

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