TSUMUGU · A2 (est.) · 字
抓
抓 ＝ 扌 ＋ 爪
ㄓㄨㄚ · zhuā
verb — to grab, seize; to scratch
字源 FORM — what the parts do
扌義a hand
爪聲zhǎo → zhuā — meaning AND sound: a clawing hand reaching down, and the donor of the readingdual-role; shows the grasping claw and carries the sound
FTzhǎo → zhuā — the vowel opens, tone settles to first
A hand (扌) and a claw (爪) — fingers hooked to seize. 爪 does double duty: it shows the grasping claw and lends the sound, zhǎo pulled to zhuā. Both halves are the same motion, the catch: 抓住、抓癢、抓緊.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
手（扌）的指頭鉤成爪（爪），一把抓住——抓。
The hand's (扌) fingers hook into a claw (爪) and close on it — grab.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)抓住、抓緊— to grab, seize, hold tight常用
→抓癢— to scratch常用
⇒抓住機會— to seize (a chance)
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
爪zhǎothe dual-role half — 爪 is the bare claw and the sound; 抓 adds the hand for the action