挟持

挾持

xiéchí

verb HSK 7-9 #12,079

Meanings

1 to hold under duress
2 to coerce
3 to take hostage

Characters

to clasp under the arm; to coerce

to hold; to grasp

Examples

歹徒挟持了一名人质。

Dǎitú xiéchí le yī míngrén zhì.

The criminal took a hostage.

他被人挟持，被迫签了合同。

Tā bèi rén xiéchí, bèipò qiān le hétóng.

He was coerced and forced to sign the contract.

Tips

usage

挟持 can mean physical hostage-taking or figurative coercion/blackmail. 被挟持 (passive) is very common.

Stroke Order

挟 xié

持 chí