Chinese word

拣

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiǎn

Meaning

  • verbpick

Example

你要拣哪个？nǐ yào jiǎn nǎ ge

Which one do you want to pick?

Illustration for 拣 (pick)

More examples

她在市场上仔细地拣选食材。tā zài shì chǎng shàng zǐ xì dì jián xuǎn shí cái

She is carefully selecting ingredients at the market.

Core concept

Select wanted objects by hand, either lifting one out or separating it from the rest.

Common phrases

  • 仔细拣选zǐ xì jián xuǎn

    carefully select

  • 随便拣一个suí biàn jiǎn yí gè

    pick any one

  • 把有用的东西拣出来bǎ yǒu yòng de dōng xī jiǎn chū lái

    pick out useful things

Similar words

选xuǎn: Choose one or more things from several options based on a preference or rule.
挑选tiāo xuǎn: Carefully compare several things and choose the ones that meet specific conditions.
捡jiǎn: Pick up objects that have fallen on the ground.

Definition in Chinese

用手把东西从地上拾起，或在若干物品中挑出所需的一件或几件。yòng shóu bǎ dōng xī cóng dì shàng shí qǐ huò zài ruò gān wù pǐn zhōng tiāo chū suǒ xū de yí jiàn huò jǐ jiàn

Word origin

拣 (jiǎn, "pick") uses 扌 (shǒu, "hand") + 柬 (jiǎn, "sound component"), so its written form combines a hand-action marker with a sound marker.

Usage tips

  • This verb suits choices made while handling or examining real objects, whereas choices about plans, opinions, or other abstract matters usually use a different Chinese verb.

Other meanings

  • pick upverb
  • sortverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 拣选jián xuǎnselectverb
  • 挑拣tiāo jiǎnsortverb

Word lists with this word