Chinese character 夺

It means seize, take away, or deprive.

Inscriptions on bronze objects show an early form built from 衣 (“clothing”), 雀 (“bird”), and 又 (“hand”): the hand takes a bird from clothing. That picture explains the basic sense of seizing.

In classical Chinese, 夺 could also mean losing something or causing its loss. In present-day compounds such as 夺取 and 争夺, the partner word makes the action more specific.

What does 夺 mean when someone sends it?

The surrounding word decides the precise meaning.

In a compound, 争夺 means competing for something, 夺回 means taking something back, and 剥夺 means depriving someone of a right, status, or possession. A bare 夺 leaves the exact action unstated, so it does not automatically mean “win.”