拿 meaning and stroke order
To hold; to seize; to catch
How to write 拿, stroke by stroke
10 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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- 10
Meaning of 拿
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- old variant of 拿[na2]
- variant of 拿[na2]
- to hold
- to seize
- to catch
- to apprehend
How 拿 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
手 gives the meaning and 合 hints at the sound.
Radical: 手 (hand), shared by 23 characters on this site.
How to remember 拿
拿 (ná) puts 合 (hé, to close or join) on top of 手 (shǒu, hand). Picture your hand closing around something so you can pick it up and hold it.
拿 is the everyday verb for picking up, holding, or taking something with your hand. It often pairs with direction words like 来, 走, 出, or 到. Example: 请把书拿来。(Qǐng bǎ shū nálái.) Please bring the book.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 手 with a hook-less or extra stroke, or confuse 拿 with 拉 (lā, to pull) because both are hand actions. Remember 拿 is about holding or taking, while 拉 is pulling toward you.
Common words with 拿
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 拿到 | nádào | to get; to obtain | HSK 2 |
| 拿出 | náchū | to take out; to put out | HSK 2 |
| 拿走 | názǒu | to take away | HSK 6 |
| 拿手 | náshǒu | expert in; good at | HSK 7-9 |
| 桑拿 | sāngná | (loanword) sauna | HSK 7-9 |
| 拿来 | nálái | to bring; to fetch | |
| 拿下 | náxià | to arrest; to capture | |
| 捉拿 | zhuōná | to arrest; to catch a criminal | |
| 拿主意 | názhǔyi | to make a decision; to make up one's mind |
拿 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 拿
How many strokes are in 拿?
拿 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 拿 mean?
拿 (ná) means to hold; to seize; to catch. A common word with it is 拿到 (nádào), meaning "to get; to obtain".
How do you pronounce 拿?
拿 is pronounced ná, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 拿?
The radical of 拿 is 手, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 拿 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 拿?
The traditional form of 拿 is 㧱 and 拏. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 拿 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 拿 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 拿 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 拿 and 带?
拿 (ná) focuses on holding something in your hand. 带 (dài) means to carry or bring something along with you, not necessarily in your hand. You 拿 a cup, but you 带 an umbrella to work.
What does 拿手 mean?
拿手 (náshǒu) means to be good at something, like a specialty. 拿手菜 (náshǒu cài) is someone's signature dish, the one they cook best.