划着

劃著

huázháo

verb #35,268

Meanings

1 to successfully strike (a match)
2 to manage to ignite (by striking)

Characters

to strike; to scratch

to catch (fire); to succeed (resultative)

Examples

风太大，他划了好几下才把火柴划着。

Fēng tài dà, tā huá le hǎojǐ xià cái bǎ huǒchái huázháo.

The wind was too strong; he had to strike the match several times before it lit.

打火机划不着，可能没气了。

Dǎhuǒjī huá bù zháo, kěnéng méi qì le.

The lighter won't light — it's probably out of fuel.

Tips

grammar

划着 here is verb-plus-resultative-complement: 划 (to strike) + 着 (zháo, 'to catch, to succeed'). Note 着 reads zháo (2nd tone, 'to catch fire'), NOT zhe (the durative aspect particle). Negative form 划不着 ('can't get it lit'); potential 划得着 ('can manage to light it').

Stroke Order

划 huà

着 zhe