挎

kuà
夸 + 扌
HSK 2.0Level 6
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

kuà to carry (esp. slung over the arm, shoulder or side)

Etymology phono-semantic

hand

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 夸

About

挎 is a phono-semantic compound combining the hand radical 扌, which indicates an action of the upper limbs, with the phonetic element 夸. It means to carry an item, a basket, a bag, or an article of clothing, suspended over the shoulder, slung across the body, or hooked over the arm. This distinguishes it from other carrying verbs by highlighting the shoulder or arm as the main weight-bearing part of the body. The character often appears in descriptive narratives to show how a person handles and transports personal effects.

Example Sentences Hide

她挎着一个新书包。

Tā kuà zhe yī gè xīn shūbāo.

She is carrying a new school bag.

妈妈挎着篮子去市场。

Māma kuà zhe lánzi qù shìchǎng.

Mom carries a basket to the market.

我挎上背包急忙出门。

Wǒ kuà shàng bēibāo jímáng chūmén.

I sling on my backpack and hurry out.

战士腰间挎着一把手枪。

Zhànshì yāojiān kuà zhe yī bǎ shǒuqiāng.

The soldier has a pistol holstered at his waist.

她亲密地挎着朋友的胳膊。

Tā qīnmì de kuà zhe péngyou de gēbo.

She intimately links arms with her friend.

摄影师挎着沉重的相机包。

Shèyǐngshī kuà zhe chénzhòng de xiàngjī bāo.

The photographer carries a heavy camera bag.

他挎的那个工具包很实用。

Tā kuà de nà gè gōngjù bāo hěn shíyòng.

The tool bag he is carrying is very practical.

在庆典上，人们常挎着吉祥物饰品。

Zài qìngdiǎn shàng, rénmen cháng kuà zhe jíxiángwù shìpǐn.

During celebrations, people often carry mascot accessories.

Related Characters

Component: 夸

跨 垮 胯 绔 匏 瓠 侉 袴 刳 誇 姱 洿 絝

Component: 扌

把 提 打 报 接 指 据 拉 持 技 找 推 投 护

Example Words

挎包