Definitions

xié (verb) to clasp under the arm; to hold between; to coerce
jiā (verb) to pinch; to press from both sides

Etymology

Wedged  in one's arms  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "挟" is structurally composed of the hand radical paired with the component "夹", which in its traditional form "挾" employs "夾" to phonetically and semantically evoke the notion of clamping or pinching. Its original sense pertained to the physical action of holding or carrying an object under the arm, a meaning that naturally broadened to imply coercion or the application of force, as exemplified in compound words like "挟持" denoting the act of taking control through restraint. Over time, the character also acquired abstract applications, such as conveying the harboring of sentiments or hidden motives, evident in terms like "挟怨" for bearing resentment, thereby demonstrating a semantic shift from concrete manual grasp to more figurative expressions of influence or concealed states.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

着一本书走进了教室。

Tā xié zhe yī běn shū zǒu jìn le jiàoshì.

He walked into the classroom holding a book under his arm.

那个男人持了一名女人质。

Nà gè nánrén xiéchí le yī míng nǚ rénzhì.

That man held a female hostage under duress.

不要用这件事来要我。

Bùyào yòng zhè jiàn shì lái yāoxié wǒ.

Do not use this matter to coerce me.

他被敌人制了很多年。

Tā bèi dírén xiézhì le hěnduō nián.

He was controlled by the enemy for many years.

他们试图持飞机以达到目的。

Tāmen shìtú xiéchí fēijī yǐ dá dào mùdì.

They attempted to hijack the plane to achieve their goal.

这种政策带了太多的个人利益。

Zhè zhǒng zhèngcè xiédài le tài duō de gèrén lìyì.

This policy carries too much personal interest.

着父亲的权势到处炫耀。

Tā xié zhe fùqīn de quánshì dàochù xuànyào.

He flaunts everywhere by leveraging his father's power.

这场风暴带着暴雨和雷电。

Zhè chǎng fēngbào xiédài zhe bàoyǔ hé léidiàn.

This storm carries heavy rain and lightning.