捶

• Pinyin: chuí
• Hanzi breakdown: 捶 = 扌(hand) + 垂 (to hang, phonetic)

Meaning

To pound; to beat; to thump. A verb describing the action of striking repeatedly with a fist or object, often used for massage or expressing frustration.

Commonly used for therapeutic beating (like back massages) or emotional gestures (pounding one's chest in distress). Different from 打 which is more general hitting; 捶 implies rhythmic, repeated strikes.

Examples

1. 爷爷让我帮他捶捶背，说坐久了腰酸背痛。 Grandpa asked me to help pound his back, saying he had backaches from sitting too long.
2. 她一边哭一边捶着桌子，对这个结果感到无比愤怒。 She cried while pounding the table, feeling incredibly angry about the outcome.
3. 小孩子生气的时候喜欢捶着小拳头表示抗议。 When little kids get angry, they like to pound their tiny fists in protest.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, physical action

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 帮我捶捶肩膀吧，今天工作太累了。(Help me pound my shoulders a bit; I'm exhausted from work today.)
• 他气得直捶墙。(He was so angry he kept pounding the wall.)

Don't Say

• 我捶了他一个耳光 (Use 打 or 扇 for slapping — 捶 implies pounding/thumping, not slapping)

Origin & History

From 扌(hand radical) + 垂 (phonetic component meaning to hang/droop). The character depicts the downward striking motion of the hand.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal