hold power; hold office
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to hold power; to be in office; to wield authority
informalColloquial expression derived from 'holding the seal handle' (印把子), the symbol of official authority in imperial China. The suffix '儿' adds a colloquial, Beijing-flavored tone. Also said as 拿印把子.
Tā他
fèn奋
dòu斗
le了
èr二
shí十
nián年
，
zhōng终
yú于
ná拿
yìn印
bàr把
le儿
了
。
He struggled for twenty years and finally got into power.
Ná拿
yìn印
bàr把
de儿
rén的
yào人
wèi要
lǎo为
bǎi老
xìng百
bàn姓
shí办
shì实
事
。
Those who hold office must do practical things for the common people.
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Bié别
kàn看
tā他
xiàn现
zài在
ná拿
yìn印
bàr把
yǐ儿
，
qián以
bù前
guò不
shì过
gè是
pǔ个
tōng普
zhí通
yuán职
员
。
Don't look at him holding power now; he used to be just an ordinary clerk.