Meaning
to hold; to seize; to catch; to apprehend; to take
Chinese: 拿取、掌握。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “na” becomes a different word in each tone. 拿 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 拿到ná dàoto get; to obtain
- 拿出ná chūto take out; to put out; to provide; to put forward (a proposal)
- 拿走ná zǒuto take away
- 拿手ná shǒuexpert in; good at
- 桑拿sāng ná(loanword) sauna
Example Sentence
请帮我拿一下那本书。Qǐng bāng wǒ ná yí xià nà běn shū.Please help me get that book.
请Qǐngto ask帮bāngto help我wǒI拿náto hold一下yí xiàall at once那nàthat本běn(bound form) root书shūbook。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
合 (to join) over 手 (hand): bringing the hands together to grasp something. It means ‘to take / hold’.
A way to remember it
Hands joined to grip — to take hold.
Easy to confuse with
- 合‘To join’: the top of 拿, without the hand (手) below.