to take

JLPT N1 14 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of (zhāi)

The character primarily means "to pick" or "to pluck," often used when taking fruit, flowers, or leaves from plants. It implies a careful or deliberate action of removing something by hand.

Besides the literal sense, can also be used in a more abstract way, such as (zhāilù), meaning "to excerpt" or "to extract" important parts from a text. This usage is common in academic or literary contexts.

Common Collocations

  • (zhāi huā): to pick flowers, used when talking about gathering flowers.
  • (zhāi guǒzi): to pick fruit, common in daily life or farming contexts.
  • (zhāilù): to excerpt or extract text, used in writing or research.

Notes

When using , the object is usually something that can be physically picked or taken by hand. It differs from (ná), which is more general for "to take" or "to hold." emphasizes the action of plucking or picking.

Avoid confusing with (cǎi), which also means "to pick" but often implies gathering or collecting in a broader sense, including minerals or resources.

Example Sentences

She picked a rose in the garden.

Please help me pick the apple on the table.

He excerpted important passages from the book.