拿 from HSK Level 1 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 拿 (ná) is composed of two parts: the radical 手 (shǒu), which means "hand," and the phonetic component 那 (nà), which is a variant of the character 拏 (ná), which means "to grasp" or "to seize." The character 拿 thus combines the meanings of "hand" and "to grasp," and it can be used as a verb meaning "to take," "to hold," or "to grasp," or as a noun meaning "a handful" or "a portion."The character 拿 has a long history, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). It was originally written as 捤 (ná), and it was used as a verb meaning "to take" or "to seize." Over time, the character evolved into its current form, and it began to be used as a noun as well.The character 拿 is used in a variety of Chinese words and phrases. For example, it can be used to form the verb 拿着 (ná zhe), which means "to hold in one's hand," or the noun 一把 (yī bǎ), which means "a handful." It can also be used in more figurative senses, such as in the phrase 拿主意 (ná zhǔyì), which means "to make a decision."The character 拿 is a versatile and important character in the Chinese language. It is used in a wide variety of words and phrases, and it can be used to express a variety of meanings.