获

• Pinyin: huò
• Hanzi breakdown: 获 = 犭(animal) + 蒦 variant — originally capturing an animal, extended to mean obtaining or gaining

Meaning

To obtain; to gain; to harvest; to capture. A formal word for receiving or achieving something.

A slightly literary or formal character that appears most commonly in compound words: 获得 (obtain), 获奖 (win a prize), 获取 (acquire), 收获 (harvest/gain), and 捕获 (capture). Rarely used as a standalone verb in modern speech; its compounds are far more common. Carries a sense of achievement.

Examples

1. 他在比赛中获了第一名。 He won first place in the competition.
2. 今年农民获了一个好收成。 The farmers had a good harvest this year.
3. 这项研究获了国家科学奖。 This research won a national science award.

Usage Guide

Context: achievement, academic, competition

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 她获了今年的最佳员工奖。(She won this year's best employee award.)
• 农民们秋天获了好收成。(The farmers had a good harvest in autumn.)

Don't Say

• 我获了一杯咖啡 (Don't use 获 for buying everyday items — use 买 or 得到; 获 implies earning or achieving something significant)

Origin & History

Originally composed of 犭(animal) + 蒦 (phonetic), depicting the capture of an animal in a hunt, later extended to mean obtaining or gaining anything.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal