挟 (xié) — to hold under the arm; to embrace; to coerce; to hold hostage; to blackmail; to harbor (resentment, etc.)
Definition
Literary verb. Means to hold under the arm or harbor a feeling (resentment, etc.), and, in 挟持, to seize and hold hostage. Written/formal tone, not used in casual speech.
verb
to hold under the armto embraceto coerceto hold hostageto blackmailto harbor (resentment, etc.)
Easily confused
- 侠xiálook-alikechivalrous hero; knight-errant (in Chinese martial arts and folklore)
- 鞋xiésound-alikeshoe
- 扶fúlook-aliketo support with the hand; to help (someone) up; to hold onto (something) for support
- 叶xiésound-alikeharmonize; be in harmony (literary, bound form)
- 狭xiálook-alikenarrow
- 邪xiésound-alikeevil, wicked, demonic
Examples
- 挟。Tā xié zhe yì běn shū zǒu jìn le jiào shì.He walked into the classroom holding a book under his arm.
- ，。Bǎng fěi xié chí rén zhì, yāo qiú jǐng fāng shì fàng tóng huǒ.The kidnappers held the hostage and demanded the police release their accomplice.
- 挟，。Tā xīn zhōng xié yuàn, yì zhí bù kěn yuán liàng duì fāng.He harbored resentment in his heart and never forgave the other person.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 挾; 挟 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
夾
夾jiā挾xié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 挾 uses 扌, the hand shape also written 手, and 夾 as the sound part.
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