扎

zhā
HSK 6
#1,409 most
frequent character
to prick, to run or stick (a needle etc) into
verb
Measure Word

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

扎 pairs 扌 hand with 乚 yǐ as the sound part. It first meant 'to pull out, remove'. The 'prick' sense came later by sound loan, not from the shape. Read zā, it means 'to tie, bind', also a sound loan; zhá is used in 'penetrating cold'.

扎 as a component in other characters

picture1 character
紥

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Example Sentences

她用针扎了一个洞。
tā yòng zhēn zā le yígè dòng 。
She pricked a hole with a needle.
请给我扎一杯啤酒。
qǐng gěi wǒ zā yībēi píjiǔ 。
Please pour me a glass of beer.
他扎了她的手。
tā zā le tāde shǒu 。
He pricked her hand.

Same Characters, Different Readings

扎zhá
used in 掙扎|挣扎[zheng1zha2]
扎zā
variant of 紮|扎[za1]
扎zā
to tie, to bind

Words with similar meanings

刺cì
to stab
This verb implies a more forceful or sharp action compared to '扎', which is more about pricking.
戳chuō
to poke
This word suggests a gentler action than '扎', typically used for pushing something slightly.

Homophones

HSK 6
渣zhā
slag (in mining or smelting)

Words Starting With 扎

扎实zhā shi
strong; solid; sturdy; firm; practical

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Public Lists with 扎

Dining Out
Restaurant, menu, ordering, paying, etiquette, and relevant phrases.
HSK 6
All words for the HSK 6 test
Food (General)
Broad food-related words, general cuisine terms, eating habits.
Basic Verbs
Core action verbs like 'go,' 'come,' 'eat,' 'see,' commonly encountered in HSK.