采 cǎi pick
to collect; to gather
How it came to be
A hand reaching down into the top of a tree, fingers open. The whole character is the moment before the fruit comes away.
How it is used
- Bound, mostly formal/written character; several compounds all roughly mean "adopt/accept" but differ in object.
- 采取 cǎiqǔ takes measures or actions (采取措施 "take measures"), while 采纳 cǎinà takes a suggestion or opinion (采纳建议 "accept a suggestion") - mixing these two up is a common learner slip.
- 采访 cǎifǎng is specifically journalistic: 记者采访了他 "the reporter interviewed him."
- 采购 cǎigòu (procure, business), 采集 cǎijí (collect samples/data), and 开采 kāicǎi (mine/extract natural resources) round out the "gather" sense.
Characters built with 采
Words with 采
- 采取cǎiqǔto adopt or carry outHSK 5
- 采用cǎiyòngto adoptHSK 5
- 采访cǎifǎngto interviewHSK 5
- 采纳cǎinàto acceptHSK 6
- 采购cǎigòuto procure (for an enterprise etc)HSK 6
- 采集cǎijíto gatherHSK 6
- 兴高采烈xìnggāo-cǎilièhappy and excited (idiom)HSK 8
- 开采kāicǎito extractHSK 8
- 无精打采wújīng-dǎcǎidispirited and downcast (idiom)HSK 8
- 采摘cǎizhāito pluckHSK 9
- 采矿cǎikuàngminingHSK 9
- 风采fēngcǎisvelteHSK 9