牵制 (qiān zhì) — to pin down, to tie up (enemy forces or a competitor); to restrict, to hold back (development, progress, etc.)
Definition
牵制 means to pin down or hold back an opponent so they can't act freely — usually in military or competitive contexts. Stronger and more strategic than 约束 ('restrict by rules') or 节制 ('restrain oneself'); 制止 means to stop an action outright.
verb
to pin downto tie up (enemy forces or a competitor)to restrictto hold back (development, progress, etc.)
Examples
- 牵制。Wǒ men xiān yòng yì zhī xiǎo duì qiān zhì zhù duì fāng de zhǔ lì.We first use a small squad to pin down the enemy's main force.
- 牵制。Jìng zhēng duì shǒu de jiàng jià cè lüè qiān zhì le wǒ men de xiāo shòu.The competitor's price-cutting strategy held back our sales.
- 牵制。Zī jīn bù zú yán zhòng qiān zhì le xiàng mù de jìn zhǎn.The shortage of funds seriously restricted the project's progress.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.