拉

lā
HSK 4
#324 most
frequent character
to pull, to play (string instruments)
verb

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

拉 joins 扌 hand with 立 lì, which supplies the sound. The hand gives the first sense, to snap or break. From there it grew to 'to pull, tug'.

拉 as a component in other characters

sound1 character
啦

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Example Sentences

请拉一下门。
qǐng lā yīxià mén 。
Please pull the door.
他正在拉小提琴。
tā zhèngzài lā xiǎotíqín 。
He is playing the violin.
她拉着我的手去公园。
tā lā zháo wǒde shǒu qù gōngyuán 。
She is pulling my hand to the park.

Same Characters, Different Readings

拉lá
to make a cut in (sth), to slit
拉là
used in 拉拉蛄[la4la4gu3]

Words with similar meanings

拖tuō
to drag
This verb often implies a heavier action or the act of dragging something along the ground.
拉动lādòng
to draw
This term emphasizes the act of pulling with force or effort, often used in a mechanical context.

Homophones

HSK 6
啦lā
a phrase-final particle

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Public Lists with 拉

HSK 4
All words for the HSK 4 test
Music & Instruments
Genres of music, playing instruments, performances, and terms.
Basic Verbs
Core action verbs like 'go,' 'come,' 'eat,' 'see,' commonly encountered in HSK.