握紧 (wò jǐn) — to grip tightly, to hold fast

Definition

verb

to grip tightlyto hold fast

握紧，。
Tā wò jǐn quán tou, zhǔn bèi zhàn dòu.
He clenched his fist, ready to fight.
握紧，。
Tā wò jǐn shéng zi, bù kěn sōng shǒu.
She gripped the rope tightly and refused to let go.
握紧，。
Liǎng rén wò jǐn shuāng shǒu, hù xiāng gǔ lì.
The two clasped hands tightly, encouraging each other.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

The holding action 握 results in a tight state 紧.

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.

扌屋握

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

屋

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.

Most 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 緊; 紧 is its simplified writing.

臤糸緊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

臤

臤qiān緊jǐn

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

The traditional form 緊 pairs 糸 (thread) with 臤 as a sound part; the simplified 紧 is a later shorthand.