About
The character "掐" is structurally composed of the hand radical (扌) paired with the component "臽", which historically acts as a phonetic indicator, aligning the character with actions performed by the hand, specifically the pinching or gripping motion of the fingers. Etymologically, it emerges from the systematic creation of Chinese characters that integrate semantic and phonetic elements to convey specific verbs, with its form remaining consistent over time. While its primary sense of pinching or nipping has been maintained, the meaning has extended into metaphorical realms, as seen in compounds like "掐算", where it denotes calculating by counting on one's fingers, thereby incorporating notions of estimation or divination without departing from its original manual association.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
别掐我的胳膊。
她轻轻地掐了掐花瓣。
他掐指一算，就知道结果。
不要掐断那根电线。
小孩掐掉了植物的嫩芽。
在争吵中，他差点掐住对方的脖子。
根据预算，我们必须掐掉不必要的开支。
她善于掐准时机，做出正确决策。