扼 meaning and stroke order
To clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle
How to write 扼, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 扼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to grip forcefully
- to clutch at
- to guard
- to control
- to hold
- variant of 扼[e4]
How 扼 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 厄 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 扼
The hand 扌 on the left grabs, and 厄 (è) on the right gives the sound and suggests trouble. Picture a hand gripping someone's throat and putting them in a tight spot.
扼 (è) is mostly a written, formal character that appears in set words rather than on its own. The most common is 扼杀 (èshā), often used figuratively for crushing an idea or a plan. Example: 不要扼杀孩子的好奇心。(Bú yào èshā háizi de hàoqíxīn.) Don't stifle a child's curiosity.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 扼 with 厄 (è, hardship) because they sound the same. Remember that 扼 has the hand radical 扌 because it describes a physical action of gripping.
Common words with 扼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 扼杀 | èshā | to strangle; to throttle |
扼 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 扼
How many strokes are in 扼?
扼 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 扼 mean?
扼 (è) means to clutch, to grasp; to choke, to strangle. A common word with it is 扼杀 (èshā), meaning "to strangle; to throttle".
How do you pronounce 扼?
扼 is pronounced è, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 扼?
The radical of 扼 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 扼 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 扼?
The traditional form of 扼 is 搤. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 扼 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 扼要 mean?
扼要 (èyào) means concise or to the point, as in 简明扼要 (jiǎnmíng èyào), brief and to the point. The idea is grasping the key part of something.
Can 扼 mean to guard a place?
Yes. In phrases like 扼守 (èshǒu), it means to hold or guard a strategic position, such as a pass or a bridge. This sense comes from the idea of controlling a narrow point.