‘掌权’ is a verb meaning ‘to hold power’ or ‘to be in power’, typically referring to occupying a position of political, organizational, or institutional authority. The first character, 掌 (zhǎng), literally means ‘to control’, ‘to manage’, or ‘to preside over’ — as in 掌握 (zhǎngwò, ‘to master’ or ‘to have control over’). The second character, 权 (quán), means ‘power’, ‘authority’, or ‘jurisdiction’. Together, 掌权 emphasizes the active exercise of formal decision-making authority, not just influence or informal leadership.

This term is commonly used in contexts involving government, party leadership, corporate management, or historical narratives about regime changes. It carries a neutral-to-formal register and is rarely used for everyday personal influence — e.g., you wouldn’t say a parent ‘掌权’ over their children. It often appears in news reports, academic texts, and political commentary, especially when discussing shifts in leadership or consolidation of control.