牵 meaning and stroke order
To lead along; to pull (an animal on a tether); (bound form) to involve
How to write 牵, stroke by stroke
9 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 牵
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to lead along
- to pull (an animal on a tether)
- (bound form) to involve
- to draw in
How 牵 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A person 大 pulling an ox 牛 by a rope 冖.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 牵
Picture a person 大 at the top holding a rope 冖 that loops down to an ox 牛 below. The person is pulling the ox along, so 牵 (qiān) means to lead or pull.
牵 is used for leading something by hand or by a rope, like a child, a dog, or an animal, and for holding hands. In compounds it often means to involve or draw someone in, as in 牵连 (qiānlián) and 牵涉 (qiānshè). Example: 他牵着狗去公园。(Tā qiānzhe gǒu qù gōngyuán.) He is walking the dog to the park.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 牵 (qiān) with 拉 (lā). 拉 is a general pull, like pulling a door, while 牵 means leading something along that follows you, so say 拉门 (lā mén) to pull a door, not 牵门. Also check the bottom part: it is 牛 (ox), not 午 (wǔ), so the middle stroke goes through the top.
Common words with 牵
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 牵扯 | qiānchě | to involve; to implicate; to be interrelated | HSK 7-9 |
| 牵涉 | qiānshè | to involve; implicated | HSK 7-9 |
| 牵制 | qiānzhì | to control; to curb | HSK 7-9 |
| 牵挂 | qiānguà | to worry about; to be concerned about | HSK 7-9 |
| 牵头 | qiāntóu | to lead (an animal by the head); to take the lead | HSK 7-9 |
| 牵连 | qiānlián | to implicate; implicated | |
| 牵涉到 | qiānshèdào | to involve; to drag in | |
| 牵手 | qiānshǒu | to hold hands | |
| 牵引 | qiānyǐn | to pull; to draw (a cart); to tow | |
| 手牵手 | shǒuqiānshǒu | hand in hand | |
| 牵强 | qiānqiǎng | far-fetched; implausible (chain of reasoning) | |
| 牵绊 | qiānbàn | to bind; to yoke | |
| 牵线 | qiānxiàn | to pull strings; to manipulate (a puppet) |
牵 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 牵
How many strokes are in 牵?
牵 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 牵 mean?
牵 (qiān) means to lead along; to pull (an animal on a tether); (bound form) to involve. A common word with it is 牵扯 (qiānchě), meaning "to involve; to implicate; to be interrelated".
How do you pronounce 牵?
牵 is pronounced qiān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 牵?
The radical of 牵 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 牵 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 牵?
The traditional form of 牵 is 牽. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 牵 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 牵 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 牵 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say holding hands in Chinese?
Use 牵手 (qiānshǒu), as in 他们牵着手散步 (tāmen qiānzhe shǒu sànbù), they walk holding hands. 牵手 can also suggest a romantic relationship or a partnership.
What does 牵挂 mean and how is it used?
牵挂 (qiānguà) means to keep someone on your mind and worry about them, like a thread pulling at your heart. For example, 妈妈一直牵挂着你 (māma yīzhí qiānguàzhe nǐ) means Mom is always thinking about you.