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採 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
採cǎito collect, to gather; to pick, to pluckzg, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #66088, Very Hard
cǎi(cai3)cai T3
  1. 1to collect, to gather; to pick, to pluck
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March 24, 2026

採cǎi(cai3)

The character 採 (cǎi) means 'to collect' or 'to gather,' often used in contexts like picking fruits or flowers. It can also refer to the act of gathering information or resources. This word conveys a sense of actively obtaining something from its source.

Strokes11Radical扌Frequency#66088DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the act of gathering, particularly during harvest festivals, is significant as it symbolizes abundance and gratitude. The practice of picking fruits and herbs is also tied to traditional medicine.

Memory tip

Imagine a farmer with a big basket (the radical 才) collecting ripe fruits from trees. The pronunciation 'cǎi' sounds like 'sigh'—picture the farmer sighing in relief after a bountiful harvest.

Meanings of 採

cǎi(cai3)
1to collect, to gather; to pick, to pluck
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 採

採Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 採

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Podcast: 採

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AI study notes for 採

Quick Contrast

采 (cǎi, to pick) vs 选 (xuǎn, to choose) — use 採 when emphasizing the act of gathering or obtaining something directly from a source.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 採 (cǎi) with other similar-sounding verbs. It is typically used in informal contexts but can also appear in more formal discussions about resource collection. Be mindful of the tone, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 採 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects with Level 3 vocabulary related to nature and collecting. Students should focus on its usage in phrases like 採蘑菇 (cǎi mógu) meaning 'to pick mushrooms' to reinforce learning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 採 (cǎi) with 采 (cǎi), which also means 'to collect' but is more commonly used in specific contexts like resource extraction. Ensure you use the correct character for the context you're referring to.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 採

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Etymology of 採

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a hand (爪) picking fruit from a tree (木).

Memory hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)采
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

採 = 扌 + 采. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 採

IDS Structure⿰扌采
採Full character
=
扌shou3
left
采cai3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 採?

How to say to collect, to gather; to pick, to pluck in Chinese

“to collect, to gather; to pick, to pluck” in Chinese is採cǎi

The character 採 (cǎi) means 'to collect' or 'to gather,' often used in contexts like picking fruits or flowers. It can also refer to the act of gathering information or resources. This word conveys a sense of actively obtaining something from its source.

When to use 採

Common mistakes include confusing 採 (cǎi) with other similar-sounding verbs. It is typically used in informal contexts but can also appear in more formal discussions about resource collection. Be mindful of the tone, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

採 or something close to it

采 (cǎi, to pick) vs 选 (xuǎn, to choose) — use 採 when emphasizing the act of gathering or obtaining something directly from a source.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 採 (cǎi) with 采 (cǎi), which also means 'to collect' but is more commonly used in specific contexts like resource extraction. Ensure you use the correct character for the context you're referring to.

Write 採

採

Practice writing 採 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 採

Words containing this character20
采取cǎiqǔto take採取
采访cǎifǎngto interview採訪
采用cǎiyòngto adopt採用
采cǎito pick採
采购cǎigòuto purchase採購
采集cǎijíto gather採集
开采kāicǎito exploit開採
风采fēngcǎisvelte風采
采纳cǎinàto accept採納
采矿cǎikuàngmining採礦
无精打采wújīngdǎcǎiin low spirits無精打采
兴高采烈xìnggāocǎilièin high spirits興高采烈
采样sampling採樣
采摘to pluck採摘
神采奕奕radiating health and vigor
采石场stone pit採石場
采光lighting採光
没精打采listless沒精打采
采油oil extraction採油
采煤coal mining採煤
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 採

What does 采取 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 採

You can say '我去採蘑菇' (Wǒ qù cǎi mógu), meaning 'I am going to pick mushrooms.'

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