About
The character "抢" in its current simplified form is a relatively recent standardized shape, but it descends directly from the traditional form "搶", which is constructed from the hand radical (扌) on the left, denoting a hand-related action, and the phonetic component "倉" (cāng) on the right. Historically, the core semantic field of this character has always been connected to forceful or urgent motion with the hands, though its specific applications have shifted. Its earliest meanings centered on the idea of collision or pushing against, a sense still partially preserved in classical texts and in some compound words. Over time, the meaning narrowed and intensified to focus more dominantly on the act of seizing something forcibly or in haste, leading to its primary modern definitions of "to rob" or "to snatch", as well as the related sense of rushing to do something before others, such as in "抢购" (panic buying). The structural simplification from "搶" to "抢" altered the phonetic component but left the meaningful hand radical intact, maintaining a clear visual link to its action-oriented meaning while the conceptual focus moved firmly from general impact to specific acquisition or precedence.
Example Sentences Hide
不要抢我的东西。
孩子们在抢玩具。
他在街上抢了一个包。
超市里发生了抢购事件。
抢劫犯被警察逮捕了。
他抢在别人前面回答了问题。
为了抢时间，他选择了坐飞机。
在激烈的市场竞争中，企业必须抢得先机。