nik1搦
Jyutpingnik1
Yalenīk
Definition
To hold or carry an object in one's hand.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
While 搦 is technically correct for holding something in the hand, it is significantly less common in everyday speech than 攞 or 揸. It often carries a slightly more formal or descriptive nuance, sometimes implying a firmer or more deliberate grip than the generic action of taking or holding.
Examples
Hold the cup carefully, don't spill it.
He walked into the boss's office holding the documents.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 搦 with 攞, but 攞 is the standard, versatile word for 'to take' or 'to fetch', whereas 搦 specifically emphasizes the physical act of holding or grasping with the hand.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
