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撷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
撷xiéto pick up, to gather, to acquire; to hold in one's lapvg, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #69376, Very Hard
撷xiéto collectunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #69376, Very Hard
撷xiéTaiwan pr. [jie2]unknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #69376, Very Hard
xié(xie2) T2
  1. 1to pick up, to gather, to acquire; to hold in one's lap
  2. 2to collect
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March 24, 2026

撷(擷)xié(xie2)

The character 撷 (xié) refers to the action of picking up, gathering, or collecting items, often with care. It can also imply holding something delicately in one's lap. This term is commonly used in literary contexts or when describing the act of collecting flowers or herbs.

Strokes15Radical扌Frequency#69376DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the act of gathering herbs or flowers holds significance in practices such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and poetry, where nature's beauty is often celebrated and collected.

Memory Tip

Imagine a gentle hand carefully 'picking' flowers and 'gathering' them into a lap. The character 撷 combines the radical for hand (扌) with elements that suggest delicacy and collection, helping you remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 撷

xié(xie2)
1to pick up, to gather, to acquire; to hold in one's lap
2to collect
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 撷

撷Simplified
擷Traditional
15Strokes
扌Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 撷

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Podcast: 撷

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AI Study Notes for 撷

Quick Contrast

撷 (xié) vs 采 (cǎi) — use 撷 when emphasizing the careful or delicate gathering of items, whereas 采 refers more generally to collecting or picking, often in a broader or more utilitarian sense.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 撷 with other similar verbs like 拾 (shí), which also means 'to pick up' but often refers to picking up discarded items. 撷 is more formal and is used in literary or poetic contexts. Be mindful of the tone; the second tone (xié) should be pronounced clearly.

HSK Study Tips

Though 撷 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be connected to words related to gathering or collecting. Focus on context, as this character is often found in literary texts, enhancing your vocabulary for more advanced reading.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 撷 with 拾 (shí). For example, saying '我撷一个垃圾' (Wǒ xié yīgè lèsè) instead of '我拾一个垃圾' (Wǒ shí yīgè lèsè) is incorrect. Remember that 撷 is used in more refined contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 撷

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Etymology of 撷

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)颉
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

撷 = 扌 + 颉. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 撷

IDS Structure⿰扌颉
撷Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
颉jie2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 撷?

How to say to pick up, to gather, to acquire; to hold in one's lap in Chinese

“to pick up, to gather, to acquire; to hold in one's lap” in Chinese is撷xié

The character 撷 (xié) refers to the action of picking up, gathering, or collecting items, often with care. It can also imply holding something delicately in one's lap. This term is commonly used in literary contexts or when describing the act of collecting flowers or herbs.

When to use 撷

Learners often confuse 撷 with other similar verbs like 拾 (shí), which also means 'to pick up' but often refers to picking up discarded items. 撷 is more formal and is used in literary or poetic contexts. Be mindful of the tone; the second tone (xié) should be pronounced clearly.

撷 or something close to it

撷 (xié) vs 采 (cǎi) — use 撷 when emphasizing the careful or delicate gathering of items, whereas 采 refers more generally to collecting or picking, often in a broader or more utilitarian sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 撷 with 拾 (shí). For example, saying '我撷一个垃圾' (Wǒ xié yīgè lèsè) instead of '我拾一个垃圾' (Wǒ shí yīgè lèsè) is incorrect. Remember that 撷 is used in more refined contexts.

Write 撷

撷

Practice writing 撷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 撷

Words Containing This Character2
撷取to pick擷取
撷xiéto collect擷
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 撷

What does 撷取 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 撷

It is pronounced as 'xié' in the second tone.

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