Definitions

qìn variant of 撳|揿[qìn]
qìn to press (with one's hand or finger)

Etymology phono-semantic

hand

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound with the hand radical on the left, indicating a manual action. The right component (simplified from ) serves as the phonetic, providing the pronunciation. The character means to press down with a finger or hand, as in pushing a button, pressing a bell, or holding something down firmly. The traditional form uses the full phonetic , which contains the metal radical , but this metal element does not affect the meaning. It is especially common in Wu Chinese dialects, where it is the primary verb for pressing or pushing small objects.