捉拿归案 (zhuō ná guī àn) — to arrest a criminal and bring them to justice

Definition

verb
to arrest a criminal and bring them to justice

Examples

  • ，捉拿归案。
    Jǐng fāng jīng guò sān gè yuè zhēn chá, zhōng yú jiāng táo fàn zhuō ná guī àn.
    After three months of investigation, the police finally arrested the fugitive and brought him to justice.
  • 捉拿归案，。
    Zhè ge fàn zuì tuán huǒ zuì zhōng bèi zhuō ná guī àn, shòu dào le fǎ lǜ de chéng fá.
    This criminal gang was eventually apprehended and punished by law.
  • 捉拿归案，。
    Zhǐ yào zuì fàn yì tiān bù zhuō ná guī àn, wǒ men jiù bù néng fàng sōng.
    As long as the criminals are not brought to justice, we cannot relax.

Origin

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
足
足zú捉zhuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

捉 pairs 扌, the hand form of 手, with 足, which gives the character its sound.

Open 捉 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 歸; 归 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤ancient form of {{zh-l|*師|troops}}
  • 帚帚zhǒubroom; sweep

The traditional form 歸 combines 𠂤 (troops) and 帚 (broom; sweep) to show sweeping away an enemy and returning; the simplified 归 is a later abbreviation.

Open 归 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān案àn
Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

Open 案 →

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