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逮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
逮dǎi(coll.) to catchHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dǎito seizeHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dǎi(literary) to arrestHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dǎito overtakeHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dǎiuntilHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dǎito catch, to seize; to arrive, to reachHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dài(coll.) to catchHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dàito seizeHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dài(literary) to arrestHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dàito overtakeHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dàiuntilHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
逮dàito catch, to seize; to arrive, to reachHSK 7, zg, 11 strokes, radical 辶, rank #2501, Hard
dǎi(dai3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1(coll.) to catch
  2. 2to seize
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
逮dǎi(dai3)

The character 逮 (dǎi) primarily means 'to catch' or 'to seize,' often used in contexts of apprehending someone or something. It can also imply reaching a destination or overtaking someone in a race or pursuit. In literary contexts, it may refer to arresting someone legally or metaphorically capturing an idea.

Strokes11Radical辶Frequency#2501DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'catching' often extends to metaphorical uses, such as catching opportunities or ideas, reflecting the broader cultural emphasis on seizing chances in life and business.

Memory Tip

Imagine a detective (逮) with a net trying to catch a criminal. The character's components suggest movement and capturing, with the '走' (to walk) radical implying pursuit and the '台' (platform) suggesting a stage where the action takes place. This image helps remember both the pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 逮

dǎi(dai3)
primary
1(coll.) to catch
2to seize
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 逮

逮Simplified
11Strokes
辶Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#2501Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 逮

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Podcast: 逮

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AI Study Notes for 逮

Quick Contrast

逮 (dǎi) vs 抓 (zhuā) — use 逮 for contexts involving apprehension or reaching, while 抓 focuses on the act of grabbing or seizing physically.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a detective (逮) with a net trying to catch a criminal. The character's components suggest movement and capturing, with the '走' (to walk) radical implying pursuit and the '台' (platform) suggesting a stage where the action takes place. This image helps remember both the pronunciation and meaning.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 逮 with similar-sounding characters like 带 (dài) which means 'to bring' or 'to carry.' Use 逮 in more formal contexts when referring to legal matters or pursuits, while it can be colloquial in everyday conversations about catching or seizing. Be careful with the third tone, as mispronouncing it may lead to confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 逮 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other level-appropriate words related to actions and movement, such as 走 (zǒu, to walk) and 抓 (zhuā, to grab). Focus on recognizing its usage in literature or formal speech to enhance comprehension.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'catching' often extends to metaphorical uses, such as catching opportunities or ideas, reflecting the broader cultural emphasis on seizing chances in life and business.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to confuse 逮 with 代 (dài), which means 'to substitute.' An incorrect sentence might be '我代住了他' (I substituted him), whereas it should be '我逮住了他' (I caught him).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 逮

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Etymology of 逮

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

walk

Semantic (meaning)辶
+
Phonetic (sound)隶
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 逮?

Decomposition of 逮

IDS Structure⿺辶隶
逮Full Character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
隶li4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 逮?

Write 逮

逮

Practice writing 逮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 逮

逮 carries 6 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

警察以携带攻击性武器为由____捕了我。

The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon.

Example Sentences for 逮 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
警察以携带攻击性武器为由逮捕了我。

jǐng chá yǐ xié dài gōng jī xìng wǔ qì wéi yóu dài bǔ le wǒ。

The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon.
2
“阿道弗斯·克林，我以贩毒的罪名逮捕你。”——“什么？”

“ “ ā dào fú· sī ·， kè lín ， wǒ yǐ fàn dú de zuì míng。”——“ dài bǔ？”

"Adolphus Kelling, I arrest you on a charge of trafficking in narcotics."—"What?"
3
警方逮捕了与其中一次袭击有关的5名青年男子。

jǐng fāng dài bǔ le yǔ qí zhōng yī cì xí jī yǒu guān de5 5 míng qīng nián nán。

Police arrested five young men in connection with one of the attacks.
4
起了疑心的爱好者揭发了这一勾当，警察在诺丁汉逮捕了一名男子。

qǐ le yí xīn de ài hǎo zhě jiē fā le zhè yī gōu dāng， ， jǐng chá zài nuò dīng hàn dài bǔ le yī míng nán。

Suspicious fans exposed the racket and police arrested a man in Nottingham.
5
几乎可以肯定，被逮捕的男子将被扣押在该警察局。

jī hū kě yǐ kěn dìng， ， bèi dài bǔ de nán zǐ jiāng bèi kòu yā zài gāi jǐng chá。

The arrested man will almost certainly be kept at this police station.
6
已有两名年轻人被逮捕并被控绑架。

yǐ yǒu liǎng míng nián qīng rén bèi dài bǔ bìng bèi kòng bǎng jià。

Two youngsters have been arrested and charged with kidnapping.
7
那个自己坦白的瘾君子在13个月前被逮捕。

nà gè zì jǐ tǎn bái de yǐn jūn zǐ zài13 13 gè yuè qián bèi dài。

The self-confessed drug addict was arrested 13 months ago.
8
调查涉及1,000万英镑的汽车保险诈骗案的警察昨天逮捕了16人。

tiáo chá shè jí1,000 1,000 wàn yīng bàng de qì chē bǎo xiǎn zhà piàn àn de jǐng chá zuó tiān dài bǔ16 le。

Police investigating a £10 million car insurance fiddle arrested 16 people yesterday.
9
他们逮捕了这些人，并把他们押送到当地警察局。

tā mén dài bǔ le zhè xiē rén， ， bìng bǎ tā mén yā sòng dào dāng dì jǐng chá。

They arrested the men and frog-marched them to the local police station.
10
从那里开始，调查范围迅速扩大，有几人已经被逮捕。

cóng nà lǐ kāi shǐ， ， tiáo chá fàn wéi xùn sù kuò， dà ， yǒu jī rén yǐ jīng bèi。

The investigation snowballed from there and has since led to several arrests.

Cultural Notes for 逮

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'catching' often extends to metaphorical uses, such as catching opportunities or ideas, reflecting the broader cultural emphasis on seizing chances in life and business.

Word Family of 逮

Compounds3
叇
曃
靆
Words Containing This Character2
逮捕dàibǔto arrest
逮dǎito seize
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 逮捕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 逮

You can say, '警察逮住了小偷' (The police caught the thief) to illustrate its use in context.