擒 meaning and stroke order
To arrest, to capture, to seize
How to write 擒, stroke by stroke
15 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
Meaning of 擒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to capture
How 擒 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To catch 禽 by hand 扌; 禽 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 擒
A hand 扌 reaching out to grab a bird or animal 禽 (qín). You catch the creature with your hand, and 禽 also gives the sound qín.
擒 (qín) is a fairly formal or literary word for capturing someone, often seen in idioms, news headlines, and martial arts stories. In everyday speech people more often say 抓 (zhuā) or 抓住 (zhuāzhù). Example: 小偷最后束手就擒。(Xiǎotōu zuìhòu shùshǒu jiùqín.) The thief finally gave up and let himself be caught.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left side as 禽 alone and forget the hand radical 扌. Then they get 禽 (qín, birds or fowl) instead of 擒 (to capture). The two share the same pronunciation, so context is the only way to tell them apart in speech.
Common words with 擒
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 束手就擒 | shùshǒujiùqín | (lit.) to submit to having one's hands tied and being taken prisoner (idiom); (fig.) to su |
Questions about 擒
How many strokes are in 擒?
擒 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 擒 mean?
擒 (qín) means to arrest, to capture, to seize. A common word with it is 束手就擒 (shùshǒujiùqín), meaning "(lit.) to submit to having one's hands tied and being taken prisoner (idiom); (fig.) to su".
How do you pronounce 擒?
擒 is pronounced qín, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 擒?
The radical of 擒 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 擒 under this radical.
What does 擒贼先擒王 mean?
擒贼先擒王 (qín zéi xiān qín wáng) means "to catch the bandits, first catch their leader." It is used to say you should deal with the key person or core problem first.
What is the difference between 擒 and 抓?
Both can mean to catch someone. 抓 (zhuā) is everyday and broad, covering grabbing objects, scratching, and arresting people. 擒 (qín) is more formal and is mostly used for capturing enemies or criminals, often inside set phrases.