捡 (jiǎn) — to pick up; to collect; to gather
Definition
捡 (jiǎn) means 'to pick up' something from the ground or a surface — usually found or dropped items (trash, a phone, coins). 拾 is a more formal/written synonym; 拣 stresses careful choosing from a group.
verb
to pick upto collectto gather
Examples
- 捡。Tā zài lù biān jiǎn dào yí bù shǒu jī.He picked up a cell phone on the roadside.
- 捡。Wǒ men yì qǐ qù gōng yuán jiǎn lā jī ba.Let's go to the park together to pick up trash.
- 捡。Qǐng bǎ dì shàng de zhǐ jiǎn qǐ lái.Please pick up the paper from the floor.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 撿; 捡 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān撿jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 撿 pairs 手 (hand) with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 捡 is a later abbreviation.
Appears in
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