拉 (lā) primarily means to pull or drag, contrasting with 推 (tuī, to push). It covers pulling something towards oneself (拉门, pull a door), dragging someone along (拉走, drag away), and playing string or bow instruments (拉小提琴, play violin; 拉二胡, play erhu). In colloquial speech 拉 can mean to have diarrhoea (腹泻/拉肚子). The compound 拉近 (to bring closer) is used both literally and figuratively.