TraceHanzi

摟 meaning and stroke order

lǒu

To embrace, to hug; to drag, to pull

14 strokesRadical 扌Simplified 搂
Strokes14
Pinyinlǒu
ToneTone 3
Printable worksheet

How to write 摟, stroke by stroke

14 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. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14

Meaning of 摟

Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.

lōufirst tone (high and level)
  1. to draw towards oneself
  2. to gather
  3. to gather up (one's gown, sleeves etc)
  4. to grab (money)
  5. to extort
lǒuthird tone (dipping)
  1. to hug
  2. to embrace
  3. to hold in one's arms

How 摟 is built

Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.

shǒuhand+lóua constellation

扌 gives the meaning and 婁 hints at the sound.

Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.

How to remember 摟

The hand radical 扌 shows you use your hands, and 婁 (lóu) gives the sound. Picture your hands wrapping around someone to pull them close in a hug.

As lǒu it means to hug or hold someone in your arms, often around the waist or shoulders, as in 搂抱 (lǒubào). As lōu it means to gather or pull toward yourself, or to grab money dishonestly, as in 搂钱 (lōu qián). Example: 妈妈把孩子搂在怀里。(Māma bǎ háizi lǒu zài huái lǐ.) Mom held the child in her arms.

Common mistake: Learners often confuse 摟 with 樓 (lóu, building) and 數 (shù, number), which share the 婁 part. Only 摟 has the hand radical 扌. Also watch the tone: hugging is third tone lǒu, while gathering or grabbing is first tone lōu.

Questions about 摟

How many strokes are in 摟?

摟 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.

What does 摟 mean?

摟 (lǒu) means to embrace, to hug; to drag, to pull.

How do you pronounce 摟?

摟 is pronounced lǒu, in the third tone (dipping).

What is the radical of 摟?

The radical of 摟 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 摟 under this radical.

What is the simplified form of 摟?

摟 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 搂, used in mainland China and Singapore.

What is the difference between 摟 (lǒu) and 抱 (bào)?

抱 (bào) is the general word for hugging or carrying something in your arms. 摟 (lǒu) suggests putting an arm around someone and drawing them close, often in an affectionate way. They combine in 摟抱 (lǒubào), to embrace.

How do you say to put your arm around someone's shoulders?

You can say 摟著他的肩膀 (lǒu zhe tā de jiānbǎng), with your arm around his shoulders. 摟腰 (lǒu yāo) means to put an arm around someone's waist.