捡 (jiǎn) - To pick up & to collect

捡Tone 3

jiǎn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

嘉健

捡 · jiǎn

To pick up;

to collect;

to gather;

to retrieve something from the ground or a lower position.

To pick upto collectto gather

Usage highlights

Pick upCollect firewoodPick up trashPick up moneyCollect seashellsPick up things

Synonyms

  • 拾— To pick up; to collect (more formal/literary)
  • 收集— To collect; to gather

Antonyms

  • 丢— To lose; to throw away
  • 扔— To throw; to discard

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He picked up a coin on the street (捡起一枚硬币).
  • She is collecting firewood in the forest (捡柴火).
  • We need to pick up the trash after the picnic (捡垃圾).
  • The child picked up seashells on the beach (捡贝壳).

Collocations

  • Pick up(捡起)
  • Collect firewood(捡柴)
  • Pick up trash(捡垃圾)
  • Pick up money(捡钱)
  • Collect seashells(捡贝壳)
  • Pick up things(捡东西)

Idioms

  • Picking up gold without looking back(拾金不昧 - note: uses 拾 rather than 捡)
  • Picking up what others have discarded(捡人牙慧)
  • Finding a bargain(捡了个大便宜)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character reflects practical, everyday activities of gathering and collecting.
  • In folk culture, '捡' often appears in contexts of frugality and making good use of resources.
  • The concept carries positive connotations of being thrifty and not wasteful.

FAQ