About
The character "掐" is structured with the hand radical 扌 on the left, denoting actions related to the hand, and the component 臽 on the right, which originally functioned as a phonetic indicator despite the modern pronunciation qiā. Its primary meaning has consistently referred to pinching or gripping tightly with the fingers, a sense evident in early textual examples. Over centuries, this core meaning broadened to include related manual actions such as clutching, throttling, or cutting off by applying pressure, as seen in compounds like "掐断" for snapping something off. The character's form has remained stable, with its components clearly signaling its association with precise physical manipulation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
别掐我的胳膊。
她轻轻地掐了掐花瓣。
他掐指一算，就知道结果。
不要掐断那根电线。
小孩掐掉了植物的嫩芽。
在争吵中，他差点掐住对方的脖子。
根据预算，我们必须掐掉不必要的开支。
她善于掐准时机，做出正确决策。