HSK · Level 112
45 words
Chinese word
掐
Pronunciation
Pinyinqiā
Meaning
- verbpinch
Example
我被她掐了一下。wǒ bèi tā qiā le yí xià
She pinched me once.
More examples
玩耍时，有的孩子会把同伴掐疼。wán shuǎ shí yǒu de hái zi huì bǎ tóng bàn qiā téng
When playing, some children pinch their playmates and hurt them.
Core concept
A fingertip grip that presses a small area, causing brief pain, and can tighten around a narrow part.
Common phrases
掐疼qiā téng
pinch painfully
掐死qiā sǐ
choke to death
Similar words
捏niē: Squeezing or pressing something between the fingers with controlled force.
按àn: Pressing down on a surface with a hand or finger.
夹jiā: Holding or pressing something between two sides.
抓zhuā: Quickly grabbing an object or part of the body with the hand.
Definition in Chinese
用手指夹住并用力按，使对方短时间感到疼痛。yòng shóu zhǐ jiā zhù bìng yòng lì àn shǐ duì fāng duǎn shí jiān gǎn dào téng tòng
Word origin
掐 (qiā, "to pinch") combines 扌 (shǒu, "hand") + 臽 (xiàn, "pit"), with the first indicating a hand action and the second mainly supplying the sound.
Usage tips
- Chinese can use this verb for both a casual social gesture and stronger pressure, so the surrounding phrase is needed to show how serious the action is.