p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

抻

chēn
verb #33,323

Meanings

  1. 1 to pull
  2. 2 to stretch
  3. 3 to draw out
  4. 4 to pull (dough) into long strands

Examples

师傅在灶台前抻面。
Shīfu zài zàotái qián chēn miàn.
The chef is pulling noodles in front of the stove.
别把毛衣抻坏了。
Bié bǎ máoyī chēn huài le.
Don't stretch the sweater out of shape.

Tips

culture
Most famous in 抻面 (chēnmiàn) — hand-pulled noodles. The chef literally 抻s (pulls and stretches) a single rope of dough, doubling it back on itself until it splits into hundreds of thin strands. The technique is the basis for 兰州拉面 (Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles).
memory
Hand radical 扌 + 申 (shēn, 'to extend, stretch'). The radical tells you it's a hand action; 申 hints at both the meaning ('extend') and gives a phonetic clue (shēn → chēn).

Stroke Order

抻 chēn