捕 bǔ to arrest
to arrest; to catch; to seize; to capture
How to remember 捕: 扌 hand + 甫 seedling bed = to arrest. Grandpa creeps up with one hand raised over the seedling bed, ready to arrest the rabbit eating his lettuce.
Component breakdown
捕 = 扌 hand + 甫 seedling bed
- 扌 hand
- 甫 seedling bed
Grandpa creeps up with one hand raised over the seedling bed, ready to arrest the rabbit eating his lettuce.
How it is used
- To catch/arrest (prey or a criminal) - 逮捕 (dàibǔ) arrest, 捕捉 (bǔzhuō) catch, 捕鱼 (bǔ yú) fish/catch fish, 捕获 (bǔhuò) capture.
- 捕食 (bǔshí) = to prey on/hunt for food. 捕 is more formal and target-focused than everyday 抓 (zhuā); it's the standard word for both police arrests and animals hunting.