<p>A lever using leverage to lift an object is called &quot;杠杆&quot; (pry bar)</p>
<p>A lever for operating mechanisms is called &quot;操纵杆&quot; (control stick/operating lever)</p>
<p>A joystick is also a &quot;操纵杆&quot; (for game control)</p>
<p>扳机/ 扳杆 (trigger/ lever) that only move in two directions is what we see in that scene</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T01:17:55.743Z
2022-01-16T01:29:41.103Z
2022-01-16T01:29:41.103Z
Tang Ho
<p>I think the second one is more referred to as 把手/手柄 (handle) or 机关/扳机 (trigger). I never hear people call that a 杠杆. 杠杆 only means the first one, which is some mechanism that magnifies force, including abstract ones like in finance.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T01:20:39.417Z
The most common usage of 把手/手柄 is "door handle" (门把手). Not all door handle can be turned.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T01:25:22.270Z
@TangHo I am not disagreeing with that. But as I see the picture provided by the OP, if I translate that I would say 拉那个把手。不，不是那个把手！呃。到底是为了什么我们会有那个把手？
River
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T01:27:21.933Z
That is why I said "not all",  meaning some 把手/手柄 do move and function as operating lever. Some door handles can be turned to open the door lock
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-16T01:13:01.083Z
2022-01-16T01:13:01.083Z
River
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%9D%A0%E6%9D%86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 杠杆 (gàng​gǎn​): lever / pry bar / crowbar / financial leverage</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In English there are two types of <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lever" rel="nofollow noreferrer">lever</a>, one which pivots via a fulcrum and is used for raising objects...</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/pTxssm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pTxssm.jpg" alt="Image of bearded man raising sphere via the use of a lever" /></a><br />
<sub>Image Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Archimedes%27-Lever.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikimedia Commons</a></sub></p>
</blockquote>
<p>...and another which operates some kind of mechanism, such as in a hilarious scene from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>The Emperor's New Groove</em></a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UOCMtm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UOCMtm.jpg" alt="&quot;Pull the lever Kronk... wrong leveeeeeer!&quot;  &quot;Why do we even have that lever?&quot;" /></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm not sure if the Chinese 杠杆 can take on this second meaning.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Can 杠杆 (&quot;lever&quot;) be used for levers which operate mechanisms?</p>

<meaning><word>
Can 杠杆 ("lever") be used for levers which operate mechanisms (e.g. "pull the lever, Kronk")?
# Can 杠杆 ("lever") be used for levers which operate mechanisms (e.g. "pull the lever, Kronk")?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-01-16)

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%9D%A0%E6%9D%86): 杠杆 (gàng​gǎn​): lever / pry bar / crowbar / financial leverage

In English there are two types of [lever](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lever), one which pivots via a fulcrum and is used for raising objects...

> [![Image of bearded man raising sphere via the use of a lever](https://i.sstatic.net/pTxssm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/pTxssm.jpg)  
> Image Source: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Archimedes%27-Lever.png)

...and another which operates some kind of mechanism, such as in a hilarious scene from [*The Emperor's New Groove*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove):

> [![](https://i.sstatic.net/UOCMtm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/UOCMtm.jpg)

I'm not sure if the Chinese 杠杆 can take on this second meaning.

**Question**: Can 杠杆 ("lever") be used for levers which operate mechanisms?

**Tags:** meaning, word

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-01-16. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

A lever using leverage to lift an object is called "杠杆" (pry bar)

A lever for operating mechanisms is called "操纵杆" (control stick/operating lever)

A joystick is also a "操纵杆" (for game control)

扳机/ 扳杆 (trigger/ lever) that only move in two directions is what we see in that scene


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-01-16. Score: 1

I think the second one is more referred to as 把手/手柄 (handle) or 机关/扳机 (trigger). I never hear people call that a 杠杆. 杠杆 only means the first one, which is some mechanism that magnifies force, including abstract ones like in finance.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The most common usage of 把手/手柄 is "door handle" (门把手). Not all door handle can be turned.  
> **username_2**: @TangHo I am not disagreeing with that. But as I see the picture provided by the OP, if I translate that I would say 拉那个把手。不，不是那个把手！呃。到底是为了什么我们会有那个把手？  
> **username_1**: That is why I said "not all",  meaning some 把手/手柄 do move and function as operating lever. Some door handles can be turned to open the door lock  

---

