Meaning of 抓紧
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to keep a firm grip on
- to pay close attention to
- to lose no time in (doing sth)
How to use 抓紧
抓紧 is very common before a verb or with 时间 (shíjiān) to urge someone to hurry or make good use of time. It can also mean to hold something firmly or give close attention to a task. Example: 我们要抓紧时间。(Wǒmen yào zhuājǐn shíjiān.) We need to make the most of our time.
抓 (zhuā) means to grab, and 紧 (jǐn) means tight, so 抓紧 is to grab something tightly. Picture holding onto your time so tightly that none of it slips away, which is why it also means not wasting time.
Common mistake: Learners often say 抓紧 when they just mean hurry in a casual moment, where 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn) or 快点 (kuài diǎn) sounds more natural. 抓紧 carries a sense of making good use of time for a task, so it fits planning and work better than a quick reaction.
抓紧 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
抓 zhuā · to grab · 7 strokes
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紧 jǐn · tight · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 抓紧.
| 抓住 | zhuāzhù | to grab hold of; to capture |
| 紧张 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; keyed up |
| 赶紧 | gǎnjǐn | hurriedly; without delay |
| 紧急 | jǐnjí | urgent; emergency |
| 不要紧 | bùyàojǐn | unimportant; not serious |
| 紧密 | jǐnmì | inseparably close |
| 紧紧 | jǐnjǐn | closely; tightly |
| 要紧 | yàojǐn | important; urgent |
| 无关紧要 | wúguān-jǐnyào | indifferent; insignificant |
| 紧迫 | jǐnpò | pressing; urgent |
| 紧接着 | jǐn jiēzhe | immediately afterwards; shortly after that |
| 加紧 | jiājǐn | to intensify; to speed up |
Questions about 抓紧
What does 抓紧 mean?
抓紧 (zhuājǐn) means "to keep a firm grip on; to pay close attention to".
How do you write 抓紧?
抓紧 is made of 2 characters: 抓 (7 strokes), 紧 (10 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 抓紧 an HSK word?
Yes. 抓紧 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 抓紧 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 抓紧 is written 抓緊.
What is the difference between 抓紧 and 赶紧?
赶紧 (gǎnjǐn) means do it right now, quickly, often in response to a situation. 抓紧 means don't waste time and keep working at something efficiently, and it can take an object like 时间 or 机会. You can say 抓紧时间, but not 赶紧时间.
Can 抓紧 be used literally for holding something?
Yes. 抓紧扶手 (zhuājǐn fúshǒu) means hold on tight to the handrail, a phrase you often hear on buses and escalators. The figurative meaning about time and effort is just as common in daily speech.