押 meaning and stroke order
To mortgage; to pawn; to detain in custody
How to write 押, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 8
Meaning of 押
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to mortgage
- to pawn
- to detain in custody
- to escort and protect
- (literary) to sign
How 押 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 甲 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 押
押 is pictophonetic: the hand radical 扌 gives the meaning and 甲 (jiǎ) hints at the sound. Picture a hand pressing down on a suit of armor 甲 to hold it in place, the way you hold a person in custody or hold an item as a pledge.
押 appears mostly in compound words. It covers holding people (关押 guānyā, to lock up) and holding money or property as security (押金 yājīn, deposit). Example: 租房要交一个月的押金。(Zū fáng yào jiāo yí ge yuè de yājīn.) Renting an apartment requires a one-month deposit.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 押 with 抽 (chōu, to pull out), since both are 扌 plus a similar box shape. In 押 the vertical stroke pokes out below like 甲. In 抽 it pokes out above like 由. Also remember the tone is first tone yā, not the third tone jiǎ of 甲.
Common words with 押
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 押金 | yājīn | deposit; down payment | HSK 5 |
| 抵押 | dǐyā | to provide (an asset) as security for a loan; to put up collateral | HSK 7-9 |
| 扣押 | kòuyā | to detain; to hold in custody | HSK 7-9 |
| 关押 | guānyā | to imprison; to lock up (in jail) | |
| 押韵 | yāyùn | to rhyme; sometimes written 壓韻|压韵 | |
| 押送 | yāsòng | to convey (a prisoner or valuable items etc) under escort | |
| 羁押 | jīyā | to detain; to take into custody | |
| 抵押品 | dǐyāpǐn | security (property held against a loan); mortgaged property | |
| 收押 | shōuyā | in custody; to keep sb in detention |
押 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 押
How many strokes are in 押?
押 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 押 mean?
押 (yā) means to mortgage; to pawn; to detain in custody. A common word with it is 押金 (yājīn), meaning "deposit; down payment".
How do you pronounce 押?
押 is pronounced yā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 押?
The radical of 押 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 押 under this radical.
Is 押 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 押 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 押韵 mean, and why does 押 appear in it?
押韵 (yāyùn) means to rhyme, as in poetry or rap lyrics. It is a fixed expression, and you will sometimes see it written 压韵 with the same meaning.
What is the difference between 押金 and 抵押?
押金 (yājīn) is a cash deposit you pay and usually get back, like for a rental or a bike. 抵押 (dǐyā) means putting up an asset, such as a house, as collateral for a loan.