逮

dǎi, dài

辶 + 隶

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

dǎi (verb) to catch; to seize

dài (verb,particle) to arrest; to seize; until

Etymology phono-semantic

walk

Semantic: 辶 Phonetic: 隶

About

逮 is a phono-semantic compound structured with the walking radical 辶 and the phonetic component 隶. The radical indicates an action of movement or pursuit, while 隶 historically relates to servitude, capturing, or seizing. Together, these elements suggest chasing and physically seizing someone, giving the character its meanings of catching, arresting, or apprehending, typically in a context of law enforcement or physical pursuit.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

警察逮住了小偷。

Jǐngchá dǎizhùle xiǎotōu.

The police caught the thief.

他试图逮住那只蝴蝶。

Tā shìtú dǎizhù nà zhī húdié.

He tried to catch that butterfly.

犯罪分子最终被逮捕了。

Fànzuì fènzǐ zuìzhōng bèi dàibǔle.

The criminal was finally arrested.

小猫逮到了一只老鼠。

Xiǎo māo dǎidàole yī zhī lǎoshǔ.

The kitten caught a mouse.

我好不容易才逮到这个机会。

Wǒ hǎobù róngyì cái dǎidào zhège jīhuì.

I finally managed to seize this opportunity.

警方迅速逮捕了嫌疑人。

Jǐngfāng xùnsù dàibǔle xiányírén.

The police quickly arrested the suspect.

你来得正好，逮个正着。

Nǐ lái de zhènghǎo, dǎi gè zhèngzháo.

You came at just the right time and caught them red-handed.

快跑，我们还能逮上那趟火车。

Kuài pǎo, wǒmen hái néng dǎi shàng nà tàng huǒchē.

Run fast, we can still catch that train.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 辶

Component: 隶

逮