Abstract：The Chinese word "hand" is a polysemous word.By means of cognitive linguistics theory, the author analyzes the lexical meanings of hand.Besides, the author explores its semantic extension, its semantic category and the cognitive models like metaphor and metonymy in the process of semantic extension, finally, the author explains the motive for the strong extension force conferred by this word from the perspective of semantic features.The results of this study are as follows: the word "hand" has 15 lexical meanings, 10 semantic categories, its semantic extension goes on in the shape of radiation interwoven with chain.The word "hand" has strong extension ability which is also a name of a body part.

Keyword：Chinese word "hand";lexical meaning;semantic category;metaphor;metonymy;