How to write 拉 (lā) — Stroke Order, Radical & Practice

lā to pull, to drag; to seize, to hold; to lengthen; to play (a violin) 8 strokes · Radical 扌 (hand) · HSK 4 required writing character

Pronunciation & meaning

Pronounced lā.

Stroke Order & Practice

Click Animate to see the correct stroke order, then Practice to trace it yourself.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
拉 — 8 strokes, numbered in writing order. 笔顺图(数字为下笔顺序)。

Decomposition

拉 breaks down into 2 components arranged as Left + Right. Recognizing the components makes the character easier to remember and write.

拉 =
扌 left hand
立 right to stand

Radical

The radical of 拉 is 扌 — meaning hand. Radicals are the indexing components used in Chinese dictionaries; they often hint at a character's broad meaning category.

Other HSK 4 characters that share this radical: 抱技扔掉指挂推排按播擦操.

How the character is built

拉 is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component 扌 (hand) carries the meaning, while the phonetic component 立 originally indicated the sound.

HSK 4 Words Containing 拉

拉 lā to pull
别拉我的衣服。
Bié lā wǒ de yīfu.
Don't pull my clothes.

FAQ

What does 拉 mean in Chinese?

拉 (lā) means to pull, to drag; to seize, to hold; to lengthen; to play (a violin). It is one of the 150 characters required for the HSK 4 writing section.

How many strokes does 拉 have?

拉 is written in 8 strokes. Use the practice tool above to see the correct stroke order and trace it yourself.

What is the radical of 拉?

The radical of 拉 is 扌 (hand). Other HSK 4 characters with the same radical include 抱, 技, 扔, 掉, 指.

What is the pinyin for 拉?

拉 is pronounced lā.

What HSK 4 words use 拉?

In our HSK 4 vocabulary, 拉 appears in 1 word, including 拉 (lā). See the full list above.

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