拶
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: to force; to coerce
💡 Imagine a hand (扌) squeezing (zā) fingers with sticks—ouch!
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
Unearth the character 拶 (zā), a relic of coercion. Its radical 扌 (hand) hints at forceful action. In ancient China, 拶 referred specifically to the cruel practice of squeezing fingers between sticks during interrogation—a literal 'hand torture.' This dark origin echoes in its modern meaning, 'to force or coerce.' The character appears rarely, preserved in historical texts about judicial brutality.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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