攫 (jué) — to seize, to grasp (literary, used in compounds)
Definition
Literary/formal verb meaning 'to seize, to snatch' — appears almost only in compounds like 攫取 and 攫住. Stronger and more dramatic than 抓, and not used in everyday speech.
bound form
to seizeto grasp (literary, used in compounds)
Easily confused
- 绝juésound-alike(verb) to cut off; to vanish; to become extinct
- 决juésound-aliketo decide, to determine (bound form; used in 决定, 决心, etc.)
- 掘juésound-aliketo dig; to excavate
- 爵juésound-alike(bound form) ancient bronze wine vessel with three legs and a loop handle, used in rituals
- 蕨juésound-alikefern
- 诀juésound-alike(bound form) a formula, mnemonic, or secret trick (in 口诀, 诀窍)
Examples
- ，。Tā kàn dào jī huì, lì kè shēn chū shuāng shǒu jué qǔ.He saw an opportunity and immediately reached out to seize it.
- ，攫。Lǎo yīng cóng gāo kōng fǔ chōng xià lái, yí xià zi jué zhù le liè wù.The eagle swooped down from the sky and seized its prey.
- ，。Zài jī liè de jìng zhēng zhōng, tā jué qǔ le zuì hòu de shèng lì.In fierce competition, he seized the final victory.
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.
Sound part声符shēngfú
矍
矍jué攫⁰jué
Same sound today
攫 pairs 扌 (hand) with 矍, which gives the sound.
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