grip, hold, mould sushi, bribe
握 centers on closing the hand around something: gripping, holding firmly, or shaping by hand. The bribe sense is a figurative extension of secretly pressing something into someone's hand.
握 combines 扌 (hand) with 屋, which likely contributes the sound アク and adds the idea of enclosing or covering, as a house encloses its interior. The character expresses gripping or holding by hand.
The hand radical 扌 beside 屋 (house) suggests a hand gripping something tightly, like a hand enclosing a small object the way a house encloses a room.
For アク, imagine gripping an axe handle firmly: axe -> アク, and your hand holds it tight.
grasp (of the situation, meaning, etc.); understanding; control; hold; grip
to clasp; to grasp; to grip; to clutch
handshake
grasping; gripping; grasp; grip; clutch
grasping; seizing; holding; commanding; having control over
grip (of hand); grip strength
shelving; pigeonholing; putting to one side
onigiri; rice ball
clenched fist
to grasp tightly
to crush (with one's hands)
a handful (of)
onigirazu; onigiri sandwich; rice and layered ingredients wrapped in seaweed
just a handful; only a small number (of)
to hold the steering wheel; to drive (a car)
a handful (of)
to seize the initiative
grasping the trend; firmly understanding how the situation is developing; getting a good sense of how things are changing
to have the game in one's hands; to hold the key to victory
to have (someone) by the short hairs; to have something on (someone)