采

採

cǎi, cài

木 + 爫

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

cǎi (verb) to pick; to collect; to gather

cǎi (noun) color; complexion; appearance

cài (noun) feudal allotment

Etymology

Pictograph of a hand (爫) picking fruit from a tree (木).

About

采 is a pictograph of a hand (爫) picking fruit from a tree (木), directly conveying the action of gathering or plucking. A later variant 採 added the hand radical 扌 to emphasize this manual action. Today, 采 is the standard form for both the meanings of gathering and for concepts like appearance, complexion, or spirit.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈采了很多水果。

Māma cǎi le hěnduō shuǐguǒ.

Mom picked a lot of fruits.

他喜欢采蘑菇。

Tā xǐhuān cǎi mógu.

He likes to pick mushrooms.

我们在公园里采花。

Wǒmen zài gōngyuán lǐ cǎi huā.

We pick flowers in the park.

记者采访了那位明星。

Jìzhě cǎifǎng le nà wèi míngxīng.

The journalist interviewed that celebrity.

公司采取了一项新政策。

Gōngsī cǎiqǔ le yī xiàng xīn zhèngcè.

The company adopted a new policy.

采购部门负责购买办公用品。

Cǎigòu bùmén fùzé gòumǎi bàngōng yòngpǐn.

The purchasing department is responsible for buying office supplies.

她的风采吸引了所有人的目光。

Tā de fēngcǎi xīyǐn le suǒyǒu rén de mùguāng.

Her elegance attracted everyone's attention.

在做出决定之前，我们必须采集更多数据。

Zài zuò chū juédìng zhīqián, wǒmen bìxū cǎijí gèng duō shùjù.

Before making a decision, we must collect more data.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 木

Component: 爫

Example Words