Meaning and Usage
The verb 採る (とる) primarily means "to adopt" or "to take on" something such as a policy, proposal, or attitude. It is often used in formal or business contexts when a decision or method is chosen or accepted.
Common Contexts
- Adopting policies or proposals: 採る is frequently used when a company or group decides to accept a new plan or idea.
- Taking an attitude or approach: It can describe how someone behaves or the stance they take in a situation.
- Harvesting or collecting: Although less common in this sense compared to other verbs like 取る, 採る can also mean to gather or pick fruits, resources, or samples.
Collocations and Patterns
- 新しい方針を採る (to adopt a new policy): used when a new direction or rule is accepted.
- 提案を採る (to adopt a proposal): common in meetings or discussions.
- 態度を採る (to take an attitude): describes behavior or stance.
- 技術を採る (to adopt technology): refers to implementing new methods or tools.
- 時期を採る (to pick/harvest at a certain time): used in agricultural contexts.
Register and Nuance
採る is generally neutral to formal and is common in written and spoken business Japanese. It implies a conscious choice or decision rather than a casual action.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 採る with 取る (also とる), which means "to take" in a more general sense. 採る specifically implies selection, adoption, or gathering, so use it when emphasizing the decision or collection aspect rather than just physically taking something.