夺 (duó) is a Chinese character meaning “to seize”. It is written from 大 (big) and 寸 (cun; inch), one above the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to seize”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
大 + 寸
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: modern-form IDS decomposition, verified against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts (大 3 + 寸 3 = 6)
Memory aid
A big (大) hand measuring an inch (寸) closes on what you want — and takes it. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 夺取duó qǔto seize; to capture; to strive for夺 = duó
- 争夺zhēng duóto fight over; to contend for; to compete for夺 = duó
- 剥夺bō duóto deprive; to strip of夺 = duó
- 掠夺lüè duóto plunder; to rob夺 = duó
Go deeper
All readings
to seize
to seize; to take by force; to win (a prize or title); to compete for
用强力取得；争取得到（锦标、名次等）。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 夺取duó qǔto seize; to capture; to strive for夺 = duó
- 争夺zhēng duóto fight over; to contend for; to compete for夺 = duó
- 剥夺bō duóto deprive; to strip of夺 = duó
- 掠夺lüè duóto plunder; to rob夺 = duó
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 夺 mean?
夺 (duó) means to seize; to take by force; to win (a prize or title); to compete for.
How do you pronounce 夺?
It is pronounced duó.
What parts is 夺 made of?
大 (big) and 寸 (cun; inch), one above the other. The recorded source is: modern-form IDS decomposition, verified against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts (大 3 + 寸 3 = 6). Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 夺 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 夺?
大. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 夺?
Common ones are 夺取 and 争夺. The reading of 夺 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.