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拿捏

nániē
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 to grasp perfectly; to nail it; to have something totally under control
  2. 2 to get the measure of (a person or situation)

Examples

HSK 4
这个角色被她拿捏得死死的。
Zhège juésè bèi tā nániē de sǐsǐde.
She absolutely nailed this role.
HSK 7-9
你拿捏了我的死穴。
Nǐ nániē le wǒ de sǐxué.
You've got my weak spot pegged.
HSK 7-9
他很会拿捏分寸。
Tā hěn huì nániē fēncùn.
He's really good at gauging what's appropriate.

Tips

culture
A classical word (to grip and pinch) that went viral in 2022 via the idiom 被拿捏得死死的 'utterly pinned down,' meaning a fan/character/situation has been totally mastered. Applied to actresses nailing roles, employees getting bosses' number, or a dish that hits the right flavor balance. Named a 2022 Top 10 buzzword by 《咬文嚼字》.
register
Internet-slang sense is casual and very positive (impressive control). Traditional sense 'to pressure / play hard to get' is slightly negative; context disambiguates.

Stroke Order

拿 ná
捏 niē