1.
to catch, to capture, to seize
To physically catch or seize a person, animal, or moving object.
犯人を捉えた。
They captured the criminal.
カメラが決定的な瞬間を捉えた。
The camera captured the decisive moment.
逃げ足の速い鳥を素手で捉えるのは難しい。
It's difficult to catch a fast-fleeing bird with bare hands.
2.
to grasp, to perceive, to understand
To mentally grasp or comprehend something — a concept, a situation, or a phenomenon. To perceive or interpret something in a particular way.
物事を前向きに捉える。
To perceive things positively.
本質を捉えた指摘だった。
It was an observation that grasped the essence of the matter.
この問題をどう捉えるかは、人によって違う。
How one perceives this issue differs from person to person.
捉える works both physically (catching, seizing) and mentally (grasping, perceiving). The figurative sense is extremely common in written Japanese.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: 他動詞 (transitive)
PATTERN:
- 〜を捉える: to catch ~, to grasp ~
- 〜を〜と捉える: to perceive ~ as ~
- 〜として捉える: to regard as ~
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 本質を捉える: to grasp the essence
- 物事を捉える: to perceive things
- 特徴を捉える: to capture the characteristics
- チャンスを捉える: to seize an opportunity
- 瞬間を捉える: to capture a moment
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 掴む: to grab, to seize (more physical, forceful)
- 捕まえる: to catch, to arrest (emphasis on apprehending)
- 把握する: to grasp, to comprehend (formal, abstract understanding)