掌握 (zhǎng wò) — to master, to have a good command of (a skill, language, or body of knowledge); to grasp, to seize (an opportunity, initiative); to control, to have in one's hands (a situation, destiny, power)

Definition

掌握 covers both 'master a skill/knowledge' and 'seize/control (a situation)' in one word. For knowing a field, it implies deeper command than 熟悉; for seizing an opportunity, it's more authoritative than 把握.

verb
to masterto have a good command of (a skill, language, or body of knowledge)to graspto seize (an opportunity, initiative)to controlto have in one's hands (a situation, destiny, power)

Examples

  • 掌握。
    Tā yòng le sān nián shí jiān zhǎng wò le zhè mén jì shù.
    It took him three years to master this skill.
  • 掌握，。
    Nǐ yào zhǎng wò hǎo zhè cì jī huì, bú yào cuò guò.
    You need to seize this opportunity well and not miss it.
  • 掌握。
    Jú shì yǐ jīng wán quán bèi zhèng fǔ zhǎng wò le.
    The situation is now completely under the government's control.

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.

掌zhǎngpalm
握wògrasp

掌 as palm and 握 as grasp both relate to holding in the hand, so together they express mastering or controlling something.

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
尚
尚shàng掌zhǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.

Open 掌 →

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
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