Meaning and Usage
The character 拾 primarily means "to pick up" or "to gather" something from the ground. It can also describe moving lightly or ascending steps with light, careful movements. This dual meaning is common in classical and literary contexts.
Common Collocations
- 拾起 (shí qǐ): to pick up (something fallen)
- 拾阶而上 (shí jiē ér shàng): to ascend steps lightly
- 拾荒 (shí huāng): to scavenge or collect discarded items
Usage Notes
When used in everyday conversation, 拾 most often refers to picking up objects from the ground. The sense of "ascending lightly" is more literary or poetic and less common in modern speech. Avoid confusing 拾 (shí) with similar sounding verbs like 失 (shī, to lose).
Register and Tone
拾 is a neutral verb suitable for both formal and informal contexts when referring to picking up objects. The poetic sense is more formal and found in written or classical Chinese.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 拾 (shí) with 捡 (jiǎn), which also means "to pick up" but is more colloquial and common in spoken Chinese. 拾 is often used in written language or formal contexts.