‘勾住’ is a compound verb formed by ‘勾’ (gōu), meaning 'to hook' or 'to sketch', and ‘住’ (zhù), a resultative complement meaning 'to hold fast' or 'to secure'. Together, they convey the idea of capturing and holding something intangible—especially attention, interest, or emotion—as if with a hook. It’s commonly used metaphorically, not literally: you wouldn’t use it for physically hooking an object (e.g., a coat on a hanger), but rather for describing how a story, person, melody, or memory grips your mind or heart.

The phrase implies a strong, often involuntary, emotional or cognitive pull—it suggests lingering engagement, fascination, or deep resonance. It frequently appears in literary, descriptive, or expressive contexts, especially when emphasizing lasting impact: a song that ‘勾住’ your heart, a glance that ‘勾住’ your thoughts. While ‘勾’ alone can mean ‘to sketch’ or ‘to tick’, adding ‘住’ shifts the meaning entirely toward sustained capture, making the compound vivid and idiomatic.