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uggaṇhāhi

uggaṇhāti

imp 2nd sg of uggaṇhāti (verb)

1. picks up; lit. grasps up
2. takes; accepts; lit. grasps up
3. grasps; learns; understands; comprehends; lit. grasps up

Built from

• ud — prefix · up, out
  Spatial prefix meaning upward and outward motion. Cognate with English 'out' and German 'aus'. Here it intensifies the grasping: to grasp up or grasp out.
• gaṇh — root · grasp, seize
  Root denoting the act of grasping or seizing. Extended in the canon to mean 'understand' or 'comprehend' — mental grasping of meaning.
• ā — ending · thematic
  Thematic vowel marking this as a causative or intensive stem formation (uggaṇhāti type).
• hi — ending · 2nd sg imperative
  Second person singular imperative ending, directing the listener to perform the action.

Analysis. ud + gaṇh: ud (up, out) + √gaṇh (grasp), hence 'grasp upward', to seize or comprehend.

Etymology. The prefix ud- (up, out; cognate with English 'out', German 'aus') combines with √gaṇh (to grasp, seize). The root √gaṇh has no clear Indo-European cognate but is native Pali/Sanskrit. The upward motion of ud- suggests both physical seizing (picking something up) and mental grasping (understanding).

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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