握

wò

屋 + 扌

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

wò (verb) to hold; to grasp

wò (verb) to clench (one's fist)

wò (verb) to master; to control

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 屋 represents the sound.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 屋

About

握 is a phono-semantic compound. The left radical 扌, a variant of 手 (hand), indicates the character's meaning relates to a hand action. The right component 屋 (house) provides the phonetic element for pronunciation. Its core meaning is to hold, grasp, or clench something in the hand, like an object or another person's hand. This sense extends metaphorically to mean controlling power, understanding an idea, or having command over a situation or resource.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我握住他的手。

Wǒ wòzhù tā de shǒu.

I hold his hand.

她紧紧握着钱包。

Tā jǐnjǐn wòzhe qiánbāo.

She tightly holds her wallet.

握手是礼貌的。

Wòshǒu shì lǐmào de.

Shaking hands is polite.

他掌握了新技术。

Tā zhǎngwòle xīn jìshù.

He has mastered new technology.

我们需要把握机会。

Wǒmen xūyào bǎwò jīhuì.

We need to seize the opportunity.

他握有重要证据。

Tā wò yǒu zhòngyào zhèngjù.

He holds important evidence.

紧握方向盘，注意安全。

Jǐn wò fāngxiàngpán, zhùyì ānquán.

Hold the steering wheel tightly, pay attention to safety.

在谈判中，他始终握着主动权。

Zài tánpàn zhōng, tā shǐzhōng wòzhe zhǔdòngquán.

In the negotiation, he always holds the initiative.

Related Characters

Component: 屋

Component: 扌

握