捡 meaning and stroke order
To pick up; to collect; to gather
How to write 捡, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 捡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pick up; to collect; to gather
How 捡 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 佥 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 捡
捡 has the hand radical 扌 on the left, showing an action done with the hand, and 佥 (qiān) on the right giving the sound. Picture your hand reaching down to pick something up off the ground.
捡 (jiǎn) usually means picking up something small from the ground or finding something by chance. It often appears in 捡起来 (jiǎn qǐlai, to pick up) and 捡到 (jiǎn dào, to find). Example: 我在路上捡到一个钱包。(Wǒ zài lù shang jiǎn dào yí ge qiánbāo.) I found a wallet on the street.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 捡 with 检 (jiǎn, to check) and 险 (xiǎn, danger), which share the 佥 part. Remember that only 捡 has the hand radical 扌, because picking up is done with the hand.
捡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 捡
How many strokes are in 捡?
捡 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 捡 mean?
捡 (jiǎn) means to pick up; to collect; to gather.
How do you pronounce 捡?
捡 is pronounced jiǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 捡?
The radical of 捡 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 捡 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 捡?
The traditional form of 捡 is 撿. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 捡 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 捡 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 捡 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 捡 and 拾?
Both can mean to pick up. 捡 is the everyday spoken word, while 拾 (shí) sounds more formal or written. The two combine in 捡拾 (jiǎnshí), a formal word for gathering.
What does 捡便宜 mean?
捡便宜 (jiǎn piányi) means to get a bargain or gain an advantage at little cost. It can sound slightly negative, as if someone is taking an easy benefit.