bind with rope, fasten
拴 centers on securing something by tying or binding it with rope, emphasizing the act of fastening tightly.
拴 combines 扌 (hand) with 全, which likely contributes the sound. The character suggests the action of binding or fastening by hand.
The hand radical 扌 beside 全 looks like a hand pulling a rope tight around something to fasten it securely.
For セン, imagine using a rope to fasten a cent sign (¢) to a post: cent -> セン, and the hand ties it tightly.