User Comments - ysxiao

Posted on: Picking things up: 拿、带、取

'手' is a part of '拿', '合' is another part of '拿'. ‘合+手’ looks like take somthing in hand and close the hand, :).   You can remember/understand  it in this way: if you use '手' to take something means '拿' something. If using '拿' + somebody (remember that, '我真拿你没办法' in my last comment?), it tells somebody want to tell his/her mind about this somebody.

Here are some interesting chinese words similar '拿'.

抓 - it means grasp. '爪' means claw of anaminal. This word is very vived, it describes the action: fingers spread and closure when grasp something

      '抓坏蛋' - catch bad guy

捉 - it also means ' pursuit and grasp ' and is often used as derogatory term or 'neutral term'. If you want to run and grasp a creature(if the creature is human being, it is mostly derogatory term), please use '捉'.

    Examples :

    '捉小偷'  - catch a thief  

    '捉鸟'    - catch a bird

Posted on: Picking things up: 拿、带、取

Can 拿它 be used to say "hold it"? 

incorrect

Can 拿这 also be used to say "hold it"?

incorrect

This is a  very interesting question. I think you have something misunderstand on the '拿'. '拿' normally means take something(not a creature) using hand, this is the original and basic meaning. Once you see 拿+creature, it has been extended for some circumstances. For example:

1. 我真拿你没办法 -  I really havn't any idea on how to do with you (it doesn't means - I really don't know how to catch you)

2. 谁拿它(这只调皮的猫)都没办法 - Nobody has idea on the naughty cat

3. 拿这怎么办？ - what's the next here? how to do next?  ‘这’ means here. '拿这怎么办？' is seldom in used, but every chinese can understand.

Summary:

  '拿' + something: often be used in chinese, means take something

  '拿' + creature: not so often be used in chinese. If you want to express 'take somebody', please use '接somebody' or '带somebody'.

PS: 他/她/它

他 : he or him, no difference in chinese

她 : she or her, no difference in chinese

它: means a creature, not a human being

I don't know how much accurate my explainations are in english, I am chinese. If you have further question, I can discuss more with you. Thanks