Definitions

zhuài (verb) to pull; to tug
zhuāi (verb) to throw; to fling
(verb) to drag; to haul

Etymology

To pull  by hand  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "拽" is etymologically derived from its traditional form, which combines the hand radical (扌) with the component 曳, which itself signifies dragging or pulling. This structure clearly points to its original and core meaning of to pull, haul, or drag with physical force. Over time, the character's application expanded into more vigorous, sometimes careless action, taking on the colloquial sense of to throw or fling something. Its most notable semantic shift, however, occurred in modern vernacular usage, where it detached from purely physical action to describe a manner of behavior: an inflated sense of self-importance or a deliberately swaggering, uncooperative attitude, thus transforming a term for a manual action into a descriptor for a specific kind of social posturing.

Example Sentences Hide

着我的袖子不放。

Tā zhuài zhe wǒ de xiùzi bù fàng.

He kept pulling on my sleeve and wouldn't let go.

弟弟断了风筝的线。

Dìdi zhuài duàn le fēngzheng de xiàn.

My little brother pulled and broke the kite string.

妈妈把我从游戏机前开。

Māma bǎ wǒ cóng yóuxìjī qián zhuài kāi.

Mom pulled me away from the video game console.

古文了,说点大白话。

Bié zhuài gǔwén le, shuō diǎn dàbáihuà.

Stop showing off with classical Chinese; speak in plain language.

他脾气倔,不回来。

Tā píqi juè, zhuài dōu zhuài bù huílái.

He's so stubborn; you can't pull him back even if you try.

衣角,显得有些紧张。

Tā zhuài le zhuài yījiǎo, xiǎnde yǒuxiē jǐnzhāng.

She tugged at the corner of her clothes, looking somewhat nervous.

这人说话总爱几个英文词。

Zhè rén shuōhuà zǒng ài zhuài jǐ gè Yīngwén cí.

This person always likes to drag in a few English words when speaking.

他最近可了,都不正眼看人。

Tā zuìjìn kě zhuài le, dōu bú zhèngyǎn kàn rén.

He's been so arrogant lately, he doesn't even look at people properly.