握る
Meaning in Englishto grasp, to seize, to mold sushi
Animated kanji stroke order
Related sentences
Related sentences
There are no published items in this section yet.
Word context
What it means
What does 握る mean? It means to grip or grasp something firmly with the hand. It denotes taking hold of an object by surrounding it with the fingers, often with intention or force, and can be extended to hold or maintain control in various contexts.
Main meanings
- To grip or hold something physically with the hand
- To seize an opportunity or understand something by grasping its essence
- To control, dominate, or consolidate power or influence
- To hold or guide someone by the hand in a protective or guiding sense
- To form nigiri sushi by hand in cooking contexts
How to use it
Used across registers from casual to formal. It appears in physical contexts such as gripping objects like コップを握る (koppu o nigiru), metaphorical uses like seizing opportunities such as 機会を握る (kikai o nigiru), and in culinary contexts for hand pressing sushi such as 寿司を握る (sushi o nigiru).
Variants and close terms
- つかむ (つかむ, tsukamu) — to grab or seize
- 離す (はなす, hanasu) — to release or let go (antonym)
- 握る itself shares the nuance of a firm grip in different contexts
Composition
- 握 consists of the hand radical and a semantic element denoting gripping; together they convey the action of grasping with the hand.
Etymology
握 is the kanji meaning to grip, built from the hand radical and a semantic element related to seizing; when used in the verb 握る, the character conveys the act of grasping with the hand and the -る verb ending marks a dictionary form.
Word class
verb (godan)