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掇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
掇duōto pick up, to gather, to collectg, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #68155, Very Hard
掇duōgather upunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #68155, Very Hard
duō(duo1)duo T1
  1. 1to pick up, to gather, to collect
  2. 2gather up
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March 24, 2026

掇duō(duo1)

The character 掇 (duō) means to pick up, gather, or collect something. It is commonly used in contexts involving the collection of items or the act of picking things up, such as fruits, objects, or even ideas. This character conveys a sense of careful selection and accumulation.

Strokes11Radical扌Frequency#68155DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the act of gathering or collecting is often associated with traditional practices such as harvesting fruits during festivals, highlighting the importance of community and sharing.

Memory tip

Imagine a person named 'Duo' who is carefully picking up colorful fruits from the ground. The character 掇 looks like a hand (扌, the left radical) reaching out to gather (the right component 𠂉 resembles a collection of items). This visual helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 掇

duō(duo1)
1to pick up, to gather, to collect
2gather up
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 掇 means.

About 掇

掇Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 掇

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Podcast: 掇

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AI study notes for 掇

Quick Contrast

捡 (jiǎn) - use 掇 when emphasizing careful selection, while 捡 focuses more on picking up items without the same nuance of selection.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 掇 with the similar-sounding character 拾 (shí), which also means to pick up but is more commonly used in everyday language. 掇 is slightly more formal. Remember to use the correct tone and context to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 掇 is not in any HSK level, it shares the common theme of gathering with related words like 收 (shōu, to collect) and 挑 (tiāo, to pick). Focus on using it in phrases that convey collection or careful selection to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 掇 in contexts where 拾 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我掇了一个球' instead of '我拾了一个球' (I picked up a ball). Always consider the formality of the situation when choosing between these words.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 掇

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Etymology of 掇

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

hand

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

Origin

掇 = 扌 + 叕. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 掇

IDS Structure⿰扌叕
掇Full character
=
扌shou3
left
叕zhuo2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 掇?

How to say to pick up, to gather, to collect in Chinese

“to pick up, to gather, to collect” in Chinese is掇duō

The character 掇 (duō) means to pick up, gather, or collect something. It is commonly used in contexts involving the collection of items or the act of picking things up, such as fruits, objects, or even ideas. This character conveys a sense of careful selection and accumulation.

When to use 掇

Learners often confuse 掇 with the similar-sounding character 拾 (shí), which also means to pick up but is more commonly used in everyday language. 掇 is slightly more formal. Remember to use the correct tone and context to avoid confusion.

掇 or something close to it

捡 (jiǎn) - use 掇 when emphasizing careful selection, while 捡 focuses more on picking up items without the same nuance of selection.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 掇 in contexts where 拾 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我掇了一个球' instead of '我拾了一个球' (I picked up a ball). Always consider the formality of the situation when choosing between these words.

Write 掇

掇

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

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Grammar patterns of 掇

掇 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他们从未被撺____去冒这样的风险。

They have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.

Example sentences for 掇 (3)

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1
他们从未被撺掇去冒这样的风险。

tāmen cóngwèi bèi cuān duō qù mào zhèyàng de fēngxiǎn。

They have never been actively encouraged to take such risks.
2
我帮你拾掇三楼后房.

wǒ bāng nǐ shè duō sān lóu hòu fáng.

I helped you lay out the third floor, back.
3
我们可以从其他著作中,从钱币和铭文中,掇拾出少量事实来.

wǒmen kěyǐ cóng qítā zhùzuò zhōng, cóng qián bì hé míngwén zhōng, duō shè chū shǎoliàng shìshí lái.

A few facts can be gleaned from other writings and from coins and inscription.

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Word Family of 掇

Words containing this character4
拾掇to clear up
撺掇to urge sb on攛掇
掇duōto pick up
掇刀区Duodao district of Jingmen city 荊門市|荆门市[Jīng​mén​shì], Hubei掇刀區
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 掇

What does 拾掇 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 掇

You can use it in a sentence like '我去公园里掇花' (Wǒ qù gōngyuán lǐ duō huā), meaning 'I go to the park to pick flowers.'

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