采取

• Pinyin: cǎi qǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 采 = 爫 (hand/claw) + 木 (tree), depicting a hand picking from a tree; 取 = 耳 (ear) + 又 (hand), originally meaning to seize

Meaning

To adopt; to take (measures, actions, methods). Used when choosing and implementing a course of action.

Typically collocates with 措施 (measures), 行动 (action), 方法 (method), or 态度 (attitude). A slightly formal verb used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe deliberately choosing an approach to deal with a situation.

Examples

1. 学校采取了新的管理办法来提高教学质量。 The school adopted new management methods to improve teaching quality.
2. 面对这个问题，我们必须采取行动。 Facing this problem, we must take action.
3. 政府采取了很多措施来保护环境。 The government has taken many measures to protect the environment.

Usage Guide

Context: government, business, problem-solving

Tone: decisive

Do Say

• 我们应该采取有效的措施解决这个问题。(We should take effective measures to solve this problem.)
• 公司决定采取新的营销方法。(The company decided to adopt a new marketing method.)

Don't Say

• 采取一杯咖啡 (Don't use 采取 for taking physical objects — it only applies to abstract things like measures, actions, or methods)

Origin & History

Compound of 采 (to pick, to gather) and 取 (to take, to obtain), together meaning to select and implement an approach.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal