How to Write 掣 (chè) — Meaning “to pull / to draw”

Imagine you are driving a chariot and need to pull the reins hard with your hand (手) to control (制) the horses. The sound 'chè' is like 'check' – you check the speed by pulling.

Write the top part 制 first, following its normal strokes (left to right), then add the bottom component 手 (hand). Be careful not to make the 手 part too wide – it should sit neatly under the top. A common mistake is writing the top 制 too small or the bottom 手 too tall.

掣 means 'to pull' and uses 制 (control) on top. 拳 means 'fist' and has a different top shape resembling a closed hand. 拿 means 'to hold' and combines 合 (together) with 手, focusing on grasping rather than pulling.

掣 appears in common idioms like 风驰电掣 (fēng chí diàn chè), meaning 'swift as the wind and lightning', describing great speed. It is also used in formal words like 掣肘 (to obstruct) and 掣动 (to brake), but is not part of everyday conversation.

Common words containing 掣 include: 风驰电掣 (fēng chí diàn chè) — At lightning speed; swift as the wind; 掣肘 (chè zhǒu) — to impede / to hold someone back; 掣动 (chè dòng) — to brake / to trigger.