牵制 (qiānzhì) · to hold back

牵制 (qiānzhì) means “to hold back; to tie down; to restrain”. It is written with 2 characters: 牵 (to lead along) + 制 (system). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 牵制 is built

The characters

牵 qiān · to lead along

What 牵 is made of

大dà — big
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 人rén — person
冖mì — cover
牛niú — ox

制 zhì · system

What 制 is made of

巾jīn — cloth
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
刂dāo — knife
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 亅 — hook

Origin hint: 刂 gives the meaning, 巾 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

他在场上牵制住了对方的主力。Tā zài chǎng shàng qiānzhì zhù le duìfāng de zhǔlì.On the field he kept the other side's best player tied up.

我们不能被小问题牵制。Wǒmen bùnéng bèi xiǎo wèntí qiānzhì.We can't let small problems hold us back.

Questions about 牵制

What does 牵制 mean?

牵制 (qiānzhì) means “to hold back; to tie down; to restrain”.

How do you pronounce 牵制?

牵制 is pronounced qiānzhì.

Which HSK level is 牵制?

牵制 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 牵制 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 145: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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