拖带 (tuō dài) — traction; towing

Definition

Technical term for 'traction / towing' — the pulling of one vehicle or object by another, used in engineering, transport, and machinery contexts. Pairs with words like 能力 (capacity), 设备 (equipment), 服务 (service).

noun
tractiontowing

Examples

  • 拖带。
    Zhè liàng chē de tuō dài néng lì hěn qiáng.
    This car's towing capacity is very strong.
  • 拖带。
    Gōng sī tí gōng tuō dài fú wù.
    The company provides towing services.
  • 拖带。
    tuō dài Shè bèi xū yào dìng qī jiǎn chá.
    The towing equipment needs regular inspection.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

拖tuōdrag
带dàitow

拖 and 带 together refer to towing or traction.

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
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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 帶; 带 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 帶 was drawn as a woven belt; the simplified 带 is a later shorthand.

Open 带 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.