挾 meaning and stroke order
To seize; to hold to one's bosom
How to write 挾, 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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Meaning of 挾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to clasp under the arm
- (bound form) to coerce
- (bound form) to harbor (resentment etc)
- Taiwan pr. [xia2]
- old variant of 夾|夹[jia1]
How 挾 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Wedged 夾 in one's arms 扌; 夾 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 挾
A hand 扌 next to 夾 (jiā, to squeeze between): picture your hand pressing something tightly under your arm. Holding someone that tightly can also mean forcing them, which gives the sense of coercion.
挾 (xié) appears mostly in set words rather than alone, such as 挾持 (xiéchí, to hold under duress) and 要挾 (yāoxié, to blackmail). It often carries a negative sense of pressure or threat. Example: 他用秘密要挾老闆。(Tā yòng mìmì yāoxié lǎobǎn.) He used a secret to blackmail his boss.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 挾 with 夾 (jiā, to clip or squeeze) because they look alike and share a sound part. Use 夾 for everyday clipping, as in 夾子 (jiāzi, clip), and 挾 for coercing or clasping under the arm. Also note it is read xié, not jiā, in words like 要挾.
Common words with 挾
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 挾持 | xiéchí | to seize (sb) by the arms; to hold under duress; to abduct | HSK 7-9 |
| 要挾 | yāoxié | to threaten; to blackmail |
Questions about 挾
How many strokes are in 挾?
挾 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 挾 mean?
挾 (xié) means to seize; to hold to one's bosom. A common word with it is 挟持 (xiéchí), meaning "to seize (sb) by the arms; to hold under duress; to abduct".
How do you pronounce 挾?
挾 is pronounced xié, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 挾?
The radical of 挾 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 挾 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 挾?
挾 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 挟, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why do some people pronounce 挾 as xiá?
The standard mainland reading is xié, but the dictionary notes that in Taiwan it is pronounced xiá. Both refer to the same meanings.
Can 挾 mean to hold a grudge?
Yes. One sense is to harbor feelings like resentment, as in 挾怨 (xiéyuàn, to bear a grudge). This usage is fairly formal and found mostly in writing.