To Grasp
To Perceive, To Captivate
transitive verb, ichidan verb
Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji means catch, but the verb version here means to grasp or to perceive. You're still catching something, just in a more metaphorical sense.
At first glance, this word might remind you a little of 捕える, since (spoiler alert) both words have the same reading. However, while 捕える is about physically capturing something that can run away, like a criminal or a wild animal, 捉える tends to be more figurative. You'll see it used to talk about things like grasping ideas, seizing opportunities, or even captivating people's hearts.
Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You learned this reading with the kanji, so you should be able to read it on your own.
Alternatively, you can also remember this with 捕える, which has the same reading. Both words refer to "capturing" things, just in different senses of the word!
コップの半分まで入れられた水は、人によって「半分しかない」とも「半分もある」とも捉えられます。
A glass filled halfway with water can be perceived as "half empty" or "half full," depending on the person.
日本人のクライアントの本音を捉えるのは難しい。
It's hard to grasp what Japanese clients are really thinking.
そのサーカス団は、開演してすぐに観客の心を捉えた。
Immediately after the show started, the circus troupe captivated the audience's hearts.