牵 (qiān) — to pull, to lead (an animal on a tether); (bound form) to involve, to draw in (e.g. 牵涉, 牵连)
Definition
牵 (qiān) is a physical 'to pull / lead' (a person or animal) and, in compounds like 牵连 or 牵涉, a more formal 'to involve / implicate' — distinct from 吸, which means 'to suck / draw in' a fluid or air.
verb
to pullto lead (an animal on a tether)
bound form
to involveto draw in (e.g. 牵涉, 牵连)
Examples
- 牵。Tā zài hé biān qiān zhe niú.He is leading the cow by the river.
- 。Zhè jiàn shì qiān shè dào hěn duō rén.This matter involves many people.
- 牵。Tā qiān zhe hái zi de shǒu guò mǎ lù.She led the child by the hand across the street.
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 牽; 牵 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 牽 is built from 玄 and 牛, an ox, giving the picture of leading an ox by hand. The simplified 牵 is a later shorthand.
Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.