拖住

tuōzhù

verb #8,926

Meanings

1 to hold back; to pin down; to tie up
2 to stall; to delay (someone)

Characters

to drag; to pull; to delay

to hold firm; to stop (result complement)

Drag + hold firm — to drag and hold someone so they can't move forward.

Examples

你先拖住他，我去叫人帮忙。

Nǐ xiān tuōzhù tā, wǒ qù jiào rén bāngmáng.

You stall him first, I'll go get help.

别让琐事拖住你的脚步。

Bié ràng suǒshì tuōzhù nǐ de jiǎobù.

Don't let trivial matters hold you back.

侧翼部队拖住了敌人的主力。

Cèyì bùduì tuōzhù le dírén de zhǔlì.

The flanking forces pinned down the enemy's main force.

Tips

grammar

住 as a result complement indicates 'firmly, securely, so it stays.' Compare: 拿住 (grab and hold), 抓住 (catch and hold), 记住 (remember firmly), 拖住 (drag to a halt). Without 住, 拖 just means 'to drag' without the sense of stopping someone.

Stroke Order

拖 tuō

住 zhù