拾

shè, shí

合 + 扌

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

shí (verb) to pick up; to collect

shí (numeral) ten (in formal writing)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 合 represents the sound.

About

Formed as a phono-semantic compound, 拾 pairs the hand radical 扌 (shǒu) with the sound component 合 (hé). The hand radical suggests an action performed with the hands, and the character primarily means to pick up, collect, or gather things from the ground. This sense ties the hand to the idea of bringing items together. Separately, 拾 functions as the formal, anti-fraud numeral for ten (十) in banking and accounting, preventing the alteration of numbers on financial documents.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我拾起一支笔。

Wǒ shí qǐ yī zhī bǐ.

I pick up a pen.

他在路上拾到钱。

Tā zài lù shàng shí dào qián.

He picked up money on the road.

妈妈收拾房间。

Māma shōushi fángjiān.

Mom tidies up the room.

我拾了很多贝壳。

Wǒ shíle hěnduō bèiké.

I picked up many seashells.

小朋友拾起掉落的玩具。

Xiǎo péngyǒu shí qǐ diàoluò de wánjù.

The child picks up the fallen toy.

为了环保，我拾起垃圾。

Wèile huánbǎo, wǒ shí qǐ lājī.

For environmental protection, I pick up trash.

他拾起书包，然后回家。

Tā shí qǐ shūbāo, ránhòu huí jiā.

He picks up his schoolbag and then goes home.

如果你拾到贵重物品，应该交给警察。

Rúguǒ nǐ shí dào guìzhòng wùpǐn, yīnggāi jiāo gěi jǐngchá.

If you pick up valuable items, you should hand them over to the police.

Related Characters

Component: 合

Component: 扌

拾