擒拿 (qín ná) — to capture, to arrest (by physical force); qin na (Chinese martial arts grappling and joint-locking techniques)

Definition

擒拿 (qín ná) is a verb meaning to capture or arrest using physical force, and also names a Chinese martial-arts system of grappling and joint-locking techniques (often as 擒拿术).

verb
to captureto arrest (by physical force)qin na (Chinese martial arts grappling and joint-locking techniques)

Examples

  • 擒拿。
    Jǐng chá yòng qín ná shù zhì fú le dǎi tú.
    The police subdued the criminal using qin na techniques.
  • 擒拿，。
    Tā xué guò jǐ nián qín ná, shēn shǒu hěn lì hài.
    He studied qin na for a few years and is very skilled.
  • 擒拿。
    Liǎng míng táo fàn yǐ bèi jǐng fāng qín ná guī àn.
    The two fugitives have been captured by the police and brought to justice.

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.

擒qíncapture
拿náseize

擒 means to capture and 拿 means to seize, so it means to capture or seize someone.

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shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
禽
禽qín擒qín
Same sound today

The left part 扌 is a hand, written in full as 手, so the character shows an action done with the hand; the right part 禽 gives its sound.

Open 擒 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 拿 pairs 合 with 手, and it is a later alternative form for taking with the hand.

Open 拿 →

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