捉 zhuō to clutch
to clutch; to grasp; to seize; to grab; to capture
How to remember 捉: 扌 hand + 足 foot = to clutch. The goalkeeper stretches out a hand and a foot at once, desperate to clutch the ball before it crosses the line.
Component breakdown
捉 = 扌 hand + 足 foot
- 扌 hand
- 足 foot
The goalkeeper stretches out a hand and a foot at once, desperate to clutch the ball before it crosses the line.
How it is used
- To catch/grab hold of - 捕捉 (bǔzhuō) capture, 捉住 (zhuōzhù) catch/seize, 捉贼 (zhuō zéi) catch a thief.
- 捉迷藏 (zhuōmícáng) = to play hide-and-seek. 捉 overlaps with 抓 (zhuā, to grab) but leans toward hunting/catching a moving target. 捉摸不定 (zhuōmō-búdìng) = unpredictable.