to catch; to seize; to capture; to arrest a criminal or hunt an animal

to tease; to make fun of; to play a trick on someone to make them feel embarrassed

to catch; to seize; to grapple with or hold onto

to capture or seize a person or animal while they are alive; to take alive

to fathom; to make sense of; to grasp. Often used in the negative to indicate that something is unpredictable or hard to guess.

lit. pulling down the lapels exposes the elbows; originally describing clothing so ragged that one's elbows show, now used to describe being strapped for cash or overwhelmed with more problems than one can handle

to arrest or catch a criminal; to apprehend

to catch a couple in the act of adultery or illicit sexual relations

to play hide-and-seek

Literally "chasing the wind and clutching at shadows"; used to describe making groundless accusations or acting based on rumors without any solid evidence.

elusive; hard to pin down; impossible to fathom or grasp; difficult to guess or anticipate

to arrest a criminal and bring them before the law

difficult to size up or predict; uncanny; unpredictable

Used to describe a person who committed a crime or misdeed but shifts the blame onto others to cover their own tracks and escape responsibility. escape responsibility.

literally to catch a turtle in a jar; used to describe a target that is already trapped or something that is certain to be captured

To write a composition or perform a task on behalf of someone else, while that person takes the credit.

To capture an enemy alive; to take someone prisoner.

literally translated as "to catch sparrows while blindfolded"; used as a metaphor for acting blindly or making decisions without investigating the facts

To make impractical or vain efforts; a metaphor for wasted energy or a futile attempt to do the impossible.

It doesn't matter what method is used as long as it works; pragmatism over ideological purity. This saying was famously used by [[邓小平|鄧小平|deng4 xiao3 ping2]] to describe his economic reforms.

(proverb) People who are truly capable do not boast or show off.

(idiom) To catch a thief by closing his escape route; specifically, to surround a small enemy force to prevent their escape and avoid a desperate counter-attack.

to grasp or seize physically; to catch

highly talented; possessing great ability; used to describe someone with extraordinary skill

A person who writes articles, books, or speeches on behalf of someone else who is credited as the author; someone who does work for another person behind the scenes

to capture; to seize or catch

to capture or arrest an important person

to pair off for a confrontation or competition

to match up in pairs, often for a contest or competition

Humorous or internet slang pronunciation of [[着急|著急|zhao2 ji2]] to express feeling anxious or worried

to arrest; to catch; to seize; to capture

trap used for catching animals or other creatures

A children's game of hiding and seeking; also called [[捉迷藏|捉迷藏|zhuo1 mi2 cang2]]

To examine a patient by feeling their pulse in Chinese medicine

to capture; to catch; to seize (a criminal or suspect)

It is easier to start something than to conclude it satisfactorily

Originally describing tattered clothing where pulling the lapel exposes the elbow; figuratively used to describe extreme poverty or being unable to make ends meet

a person who searches for or investigates reports of ghosts or paranormal activity

To show disdain or contempt; often associated with a historical anecdote of pinching one's nose while speaking

to arrest or capture; to catch a criminal

to have one's teeth chatter or knock together due to extreme cold or intense fear

(proverb) to act blindly without understanding the situation or to deceive oneself; literally to try and catch a sparrow with one's eyes closed

hard to guess or understand; elusive or enigmatic