TongTong
Sign in

把握 (bǎ wò) — (verb) to grasp, to seize, to hold (literally or figuratively); (noun) assurance, certainty, confidence (in a positive outcome)

Definition

把握 is both 'to grasp/seize' (verb, often an opportunity) and 'confidence, certainty' as a noun. As a noun it overlaps with 信心 and 保证, but 把握 emphasizes the sense of being sure of a positive outcome.

verb
to graspto seizeto hold (literally or figuratively)
noun
assurancecertaintyconfidence (in a positive outcome)

Examples

  • 把握。
    Nǐ yào bǎ wò zhù zhè cì nán dé de jī huì.
    You must seize this rare opportunity.
  • 。
    Tā duì zì jǐ de jì huà hěn yǒu bǎ wò.
    He is very confident about his plan.
  • 把握。
    Wǒ men yí dìng yào bǎ wò hǎo zhè ge xiàng mù de guān jiàn.
    We must grasp the key points of this project.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

把bǎhold
握wògrasp

把 and 握 both mean holding or grasping; together they express grasping and, figuratively, confidence.

Characters in this word

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
巴
巴bā把bǎ
Same sound today

把 combines 扌, a hand, with 巴 for its sound.

Open 把 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
屋
屋wū握wò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

握 has 扌, a hand shape, on the left, and 屋 on the right, which gives its sound.

Open 握 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.