Definition
牵 (qiān) has two main uses: (1) as a standalone verb meaning 'to pull/lead (an animal or person)', e.g. 牵牛; (2) as a bound form in compounds like 牵涉 and 牵扯, meaning 'to involve/implicate'. In the 'involve' sense, 牵 itself is not a full verb; you must use the compound 牵涉 or 牵扯 for that meaning. The siblings 牵扯 and 牵涉 are full verbs that can stand alone.
verb
to pullto lead (an animal on a tether)(bound form) to involveto draw in (e.g. 牵涉, 牵连)
Easily confused
- 钱qiánsound-alikemoney
- 前qiánsound-alikefront (location)
- 欠qiànsound-aliketo owe (money, debt, favor, apology)
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name on a document)
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name); to write brief comments on a document
- 千qiānsound-alikethousand
- 浅qiǎnsound-alikeshallow (of depth)
- 迁qiānsound-aliketo move; to relocate (residence, office, capital, etc.)
Examples
- 牵。Tā zài hébiān qiānzhe niú.He is leading the cow by the river.
- 。Zhè jiàn shì qiānshè dào hěnduō rén.This matter involves many people.
- 牵。Tā qiānzhe háizi de shǒu guò mǎlù.She led the child by the hand across the street.
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