捕

• Pinyin: bǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 捕 = 扌(hand) + 甫 (phonetic component)

Meaning

To catch; to capture; to seize. The action of catching animals, criminals, or opportunities.

A formal verb for catching or capturing. Used for catching fish (捕鱼), hunting (捕猎), arresting criminals (逮捕), and metaphorically for seizing opportunities or capturing moments. More literary than everyday 抓.

Examples

1. 渔民们天不亮就出海捕鱼去了。 The fishermen went out to sea to catch fish before dawn.
2. 警方成功捕获了在逃多年的犯罪嫌疑人。 The police successfully captured the suspect who had been on the run for years.
3. 摄影师捕捉到了那只鸟起飞的瞬间。 The photographer captured the moment when the bird took flight.

Usage Guide

Context: fishing, hunting, law enforcement, photography

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他们用网捕了很多鱼。(They caught many fish with nets.)
• 这种动物被禁止捕猎。(Hunting this animal is prohibited.)

Don't Say

• 日常口语中一般用'抓'而不是'捕' (In everyday speech, use 抓 rather than 捕 — 捕 sounds more formal or literary)

Origin & History

Composed of 扌(hand radical) + 甫 (phonetic). Originally depicted the action of catching with hands.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal