綁架 / 绑架
bǎngjià
The English verb kidnap is translated into Chinese as 綁架 / 绑架 (bǎngjià). Wiktionary also lists 綁票 / 绑票 (bǎngpiào) and 拐帶 / 拐带 (guǎidài).
Meaning: to seize and detain a person unlawfully (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 綁架 / 绑架 | bǎngjià |
| 綁票 / 绑票 | bǎngpiào |
| 拐帶 / 拐带 | guǎidài |
The most general and common term for the act of kidnapping a person is 綁架 / 绑架.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 綁架 / 绑架 is composed of 綁 (to tie/bind) and 架 (to seize/hold/frame), literally meaning to bind and seize.
Which one should you use?
While 綁架 / 绑架 is the general term, 綁票 / 绑票 is a colloquial way to specifically describe kidnapping someone for the purpose of collecting a ransom. To describe the act of abducting or luring away a person, such as a child, the term 拐帶 / 拐带 is used.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bǎngjià
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, 綁架 is sometimes used metaphorically as 'moral kidnapping' (道德綁架), meaning to use guilt or morality to force someone to agree with you.
- The character 架 in 綁架 / 绑架 can also mean 'airplane' or 'shelf', but in this context it refers to the physical act of hoisting or lifting someone up to carry them away.
- The word 拐 / 拐 in 拐帶 / 拐带 implies a sense of trickery or deception, suggesting the person was lured away rather than taken by force.
Examples in context
- 警方正在全力追查这起诱拐案件。The police are making every effort to investigate this kidnapping case.
- 这起事件涉及劫持人质，警方已经展开了营救行动。This event involves the kidnapping of hostages, and the police have launched a rescue operation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kidnap” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
