扼

搤

厄 + 扌

Definitions

è to grip forcefully; to clutch at; to guard; to control; to hold

è variant of 扼[è]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 厄 represents the sound. Simplified form of 搤.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 厄

About

扼 is the simplified form of 搤, a phono-semantic compound. The hand radical 扌 signals an action done with the hands, while 厄 gives the sound and hints at distress or peril. Literally, it means to grip tightly or choke, especially by the throat. Extended to military contexts, it describes seizing and holding a narrow strategic pass, thereby choking off enemy movement.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请扼要说明你的观点。

Qǐng èyào shuōmíng nǐ de guāndiǎn.

Please explain your point concisely.

谣言扼杀了他的声誉。

Yáoyán èshāle tā de shēngyù.

Rumors strangled his reputation.

军队扼守着重要的关口。

Jūnduì èshǒuzhe zhòngyào de guānkǒu.

The army holds the important pass.

经济危机扼住了公司的发展。

Jīngjì wēijī èzhùle gōngsī de fāzhǎn.

The economic crisis gripped the company's development.

政府采取措施扼制通货膨胀。

Zhèngfǔ cǎiqǔ cuòshī èzhì tōnghuò péngzhàng.

The government takes measures to curb inflation.

他的双手紧紧扼住了对方的喉咙。

Tā de shuāngshǒu jǐnjǐn èzhùle duìfāng de hóulóng.

His hands tightly gripped the opponent's throat.

贫穷扼杀了许多孩子的梦想。

Pínqióng èshāle xǔduō háizi de mèngxiǎng.

Poverty strangles the dreams of many children.

为了扼守这片战略要地，他们不惜付出任何代价。

Wèile èshǒu zhè piàn zhànlüè yàodì, tāmen bùxī fùchū rènhé dàijià.

In order to hold this strategic point, they are willing to pay any price.

Related Characters

Component: 厄

Component: 扌

扼