招手

zhāoshǒu

to wave

HSK 6

Character Breakdown

Usage of 招手

招手 literally means "to wave one's hand" or "to beckon with a hand gesture." It is commonly used to describe the physical action of moving the hand to attract attention or signal someone.

Common contexts

  • Greeting someone from a distance by waving.
  • Signaling or calling someone over, often with a beckoning motion.
  • In casual or formal settings, it can be used to get someone's attention without speaking.

Collocations and patterns

Notes

招手 focuses on the hand gesture itself and is often accompanied by a friendly or polite intention. It differs from simply (huīshǒu), which can mean waving in a more general or sometimes dismissive way. 招手 often implies inviting or calling someone closer.

Avoid confusing 招手 with (zhāohu), which means to greet verbally or call out, though 招手打招呼 combines both gesture and greeting.

Example Sentences

他在车站招手示意我过去。

Tā zài chēzhàn zhāoshǒu shìyì wǒ guòqù.

He waved his hand at the station to signal me to come over.

小朋友们看到老师来了,纷纷招手打招呼。

Xiǎopéngyǒu men kàn dào lǎoshī lái le, fēnfēn zhāoshǒu dǎ zhāohū.

The children saw the teacher coming and waved their hands to greet her.

他用招手的方式让服务员过来点菜。

Tā yòng zhāoshǒu de fāngshì ràng fúwùyuán guòlái diǎncài.

He used a hand wave to call the waiter over to order food.