抱
hold in arms; adopt; harbor; hatch; measure word
Meanings
7 senses · 21 examplesverb
hold in one's arms; embrace
Describes the action of holding someone or something tightly with both arms.
The mother is holding her child and walking in the yard.
He held his cat and comforted it softly.
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The little girl held her cloth doll and wouldn't let go.
Dad held me and spun around in a circle.
The grandma held her grandson and smiled happily.
verb
have one's first grandchild/son
informalUsed to congratulate someone on the birth of their first child or grandchild, often used in informal daily conversations.
I heard you had your first grandchild, I'm so happy for you!
Neighbor Aunt Zhang had her first grandchild last year.
verb
adopt (a child)
Refers to raising a child that is not one's biological offspring.
This child was adopted, not born to her.
The infertile couple adopted a baby girl.
verb
unite; stick together
formalUsed figuratively to describe people joining forces as a group.
If we unite as one, we can overcome any difficulty.
Only by sticking together can the team win the game.
verb
harbor; hold (an idea/feeling)
Used to describe holding thoughts, opinions, or emotions in one's mind.
Young people all harbor great ideals and work hard to achieve them.
Many people hold different opinions about his decision.
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He has been holding out hope and waiting for news.
Everyone views this matter with a skeptical attitude.
He holds dissatisfaction with the company's new policy.
verb
hatch (eggs into chicks)
informalAlso used colloquially to refer to breeding poultry or other egg-laying animals, sometimes written as 菢 in some variants.
Grandma uses a old hen to hatch chicks.
The mother goose on the farm is hatching eggs in her nest.
measure word
measure word for armfuls
Used to measure objects that can be held in both arms, such as hay, tree trunks, etc.
The farmer carried an armful of grass home to feed the sheep.
There is an old locust tree two armfuls thick in the yard.
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She carried an armful of firewood into the stove.