Definitions
to extract; to pluck; to seize
Etymology phono-semantic
hand
Semantic:
手
About
The character "搴" originated in early Chinese with the meaning of pulling up or plucking, often specifically in reference to plants. Its structure is a phono-semantic compound comprising the hand radical on the left, denoting manual action, and the component "寒" on the right, which primarily functions as a phonetic indicator. While the core sense of extracting or lifting has persisted, the character's use has become largely confined to classical set phrases and literary texts in contemporary language.