Ichidan verb, transitive verb

  1. to catch, to capture, to arrest, to seize, to restrain.
  2. to grab, to clutch, to grasp, to seize, to hold on to.
  3. to catch hold of (someone), to stop (e.g. a stranger in the street), to hail (a taxi, waiter, etc.), to hold (someone) back, to detain.
  4. towards (someone), at (someone), in (someone's) face. As 〜をつかまえて.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
 
 
 
捕まえる つかまえる
 
 
 
捉まえる つかまえる
 
 
 
掴まえる つかまえる

Contained Kanji Breakdown

catch, capture
つか.まえる ホ と.らえる (7th, N3)
hand, hand radical (no. 64)
シュ
for the first time, not until
ホ フ はじ.めて (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
ten
ジュウ ジッ ジュッ (1st, N5)
month, moon
つき ゲツ ガツ (1st, N5)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)