Definitions

zhuài (verb) to pull; to tug
zhuāi (verb) to throw; to fling
(verb) to drag; to haul

Etymology

To pull  by hand  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "拽" is structured with the hand radical 扌 alongside the component 曳, which conveys dragging, forming a semantic compound that originally denoted pulling or dragging with the hand. While this primary meaning has persisted, the character has developed additional colloquial uses over time, including to throw something forcefully and, in modern informal contexts, to describe a person displaying arrogant or showy behavior.

Example Sentences Hide

着我的袖子不放。

Tā zhuài zhe wǒ de xiùzi bù fàng.

He kept pulling on my sleeve and wouldn't let go.

弟弟断了风筝的线。

Dìdi zhuài duàn le fēngzheng de xiàn.

My little brother pulled and broke the kite string.

妈妈把我从游戏机前开。

Māma bǎ wǒ cóng yóuxìjī qián zhuài kāi.

Mom pulled me away from the video game console.

古文了,说点大白话。

Bié zhuài gǔwén le, shuō diǎn dàbáihuà.

Stop showing off with classical Chinese; speak in plain language.

他脾气倔,不回来。

Tā píqi juè, zhuài dōu zhuài bù huílái.

He's so stubborn; you can't pull him back even if you try.

衣角,显得有些紧张。

Tā zhuài le zhuài yījiǎo, xiǎnde yǒuxiē jǐnzhāng.

She tugged at the corner of her clothes, looking somewhat nervous.

这人说话总爱几个英文词。

Zhè rén shuōhuà zǒng ài zhuài jǐ gè Yīngwén cí.

This person always likes to drag in a few English words when speaking.

他最近可了,都不正眼看人。

Tā zuìjìn kě zhuài le, dōu bú zhèngyǎn kàn rén.

He's been so arrogant lately, he doesn't even look at people properly.