拉 from HSK Level 2 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 拉 (lā) is composed of two parts: the radical 手 (shǒu), meaning "hand," and the phonetic component 剌 (là), which is a variant of the character 剌 (là), meaning "to stab" or "to pierce." The combination of these two components suggests the idea of using one's hand to grasp or pull something.The earliest known usage of 拉 dates back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), where it was used in the sense of "to pull" or "to drag." Over time, the character acquired additional meanings, including "to lead," "to guide," "to invite," and "to play a musical instrument."In modern Chinese, 拉 is commonly used in a variety of contexts. For example, it can be used to describe the action of pulling a cart, leading a horse, or playing a violin. It can also be used in a more figurative sense, such as to describe the act of persuading someone to do something or to attract someone's attention.The character 拉 is also used in a number of compound words and phrases. For example, the word 拉拉队 (lālāduì) means "cheerleading team," while the phrase 拉家常 (lājiachang) means "to chat."Overall, the character 拉 is a versatile and commonly used character in Chinese, with a rich history and a wide range of meanings.