拉

3 readings · tap one to hear it

to pull; to play (a bowed instrument); to drag; to draw; to chat; (coll.) to empty one's bowels

Sound it out + = · + = · + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

扌 meaning “hand” + 立 sound ( lì )

Components 扌立

pull · Heisig RSH #608

fingers + vase

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
拉山头	lā shān tóu	to start a clique; to form a faction
海拉尔区	Hǎi lā ěr Qū	Hailar, a district of Hulunbuir City 呼倫貝爾市\|呼伦贝尔市[Hu1 lun2 bei4 er3 Shi4], Inner Mongolia
马拉地	Mǎ lā dì	Marathi language of west India
马尔马拉海	Mǎ ěr mǎ lā Hǎi	Sea of Marmara
马拉	Mǎ lā	Marat (name); Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793), Swiss scientist and physician
海拉尔	Hǎi lā ěr	see 海拉爾區\|海拉尔区[Hai3 la1 er3 Qu1]
拉拉	Lā lā	Lala, Philippines
拉拉	lā lā	(slang) lesbian; (coll.) Labrador retriever
大利拉	Dà lì lā	(Protestantism) Delilah
拉动	lā dòng	to pull; (fig.) to stimulate (economic activity); to motivate (people to do sth)
安拉	Ān lā	Allah (Arabic name of God)
拉手	lā shǒu	to hold hands; to shake hands
拉手	lā shou	a handle; to pull on a handle
马德拉斯	Mǎ dé lā sī	Madras or Chennai 欽奈\|钦奈[Qin1 nai4], capital of Tamil Nadu on East coast of India
克拉	kè lā	carat (mass) (loanword)
特斯拉	Tè sī lā	Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), Serbian inventor and engineer; Tesla, an American electric vehic…
特斯拉	tè sī lā	tesla (unit)
手拉手	shǒu lā shǒu	to join hands; hand in hand
拉高	lā gāo	to pull up
西拉	Xī lā	Syrah (grape type)

Characters sharing the sound component 立 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
立 sound part	lì	to stand; to establish, to set up
粒	lì	grain, granule; bullet, pellet
泣	qì	to cry, to sob, to weep
垃	lā	garbage, refuse, trash, waste
飒	sà	bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind
昱	yù	bright, dazzling; sunlight
笠	lì	bamboo hat; bamboo covering
翊	yì	flying; to assist, to help; to respect