夺取

• Pinyin: duó qǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 夺 = seize forcefully; 取 = 耳 (ear) + 又 (hand) — to take, originally meant taking an ear as war trophy

Meaning

To seize; to capture; to wrest. To take something by force, typically territory, power, or victory.

Stronger than 夺 alone, implying deliberate, forceful seizure of something significant. Common in military and political contexts: 夺取政权 (seize power), 夺取阵地 (capture a position). In sports: 夺取冠军 (capture the championship). The 取 adds emphasis on 'obtaining' what was seized.

Examples

1. 革命军经过艰苦战斗，终于夺取了这座城市。 After fierce fighting, the revolutionary army finally captured this city.
2. 这位运动员在最后时刻反超对手，夺取了冠军。 The athlete overtook the opponent at the last moment and captured the championship.
3. 公司正在努力夺取更多的海外市场份额。 The company is working hard to capture more overseas market share.

Usage Guide

Context: military, politics, sports

Tone: assertive

Do Say

• 我们的目标是夺取市场领先地位。(Our goal is to capture market leadership.)
• 战士们英勇地夺取了敌人的阵地。(The soldiers bravely captured the enemy's position.)

Don't Say

• 用夺取形容日常小事 (Don't use 夺取 for everyday small matters — it's too dramatic; use 拿到 or 得到 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 夺 (seize) + 取 (take). Both characters involve taking/obtaining, with 夺取 emphasizing forceful acquisition.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal