捉 (zhuō) is a Chinese character meaning “to catch”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 足 (foot; leg), side by side, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “to catch”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 足
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字：捉，搤也。从手，足声。现代字形拆分经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 足7画 = 10画）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) reaches out and grabs a running foot (足) — caught! That is 捉, to catch.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 捕捉bǔ zhuōto catch; to capture捉 = zhuō
- 捉迷藏zhuō mí cánghide-and-seek捉 = zhuō
Go deeper
All readings
to catch
to catch; to seize; to capture; to grasp
抓；捕捉；握住。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 捕捉bǔ zhuōto catch; to capture捉 = zhuō
- 捉迷藏zhuō mí cánghide-and-seek捉 = zhuō
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 捉 mean?
捉 (zhuō) means to catch; to seize; to capture; to grasp.
How do you pronounce 捉?
It is pronounced zhuō.
What parts is 捉 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 足 (foot; leg), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字：捉，搤也。从手，足声。现代字形拆分经 hanzi-writer-data 笔画数据核验（扌3画 + 足7画 = 10画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 捉 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 捉?
扌. 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 捉?
Common ones are 捕捉 and 捉迷藏. The reading of 捉 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.