抽 (chōu) - To draw out & to pull out
抽 · chōu
To draw out;
to pull out;
to extract;
to take (from);
to smoke (cigarettes);
to shrink;
to whip.
To draw outto pull outto extract
Usage highlights
To extractTo draw lotsTo smokeTo pumpTo sampleTo whip
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He drew a card from the deck (抽了一张牌).
- Please take a sample for testing (请抽一个样本).
- She smokes a cigarette after work (她下班后抽一支烟).
- The fabric may shrink after washing (这种布料洗后可能会抽).
Collocations
- To extract(抽取)
- To draw lots(抽签)
- To smoke(抽烟)
- To pump(抽水)
- To sample(抽样)
- To whip(抽打)
Idioms
- Strike the west and attack the east(抽西击东)
- Draw a salary without working(抽丁拔楔)
- Abstract art(抽象艺术)
Cultural background
FAQ- The character combines the hand radical (扌) with 由 (reason, cause), suggesting the action of pulling something out for a reason.
- Used in the context of divination and games of chance (e.g., 抽签) in Chinese culture.
- The concept of 'abstraction' (抽象) in modern Chinese derives from the meaning of extracting essence.