qiān

drag

A person  pulling an ox  by a rope 

Components
大 meaning component

  Meaning component

dài

  

big

冖 meaning component

  Meaning component

  

cover

牛 meaning component

  Meaning component

niú

  

cow

Evolution

牵 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
牵 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
牵 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
牵 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

qiān

drag, pull, lead by hand; to lead along; to pull (an animal on a tether); (bound form) to involve; to draw in

Most common words with 牵
Freq.
Word
Meaning

to lead along

牵扯

to involve

牵涉

to involve

牵连

to implicate

牵挂

to worry about