抬

• Pinyin: tái
• Hanzi breakdown: 抬 = 扌(hand) + 台 (platform, phonetic component)

Meaning

To lift; to raise; to carry (something heavy, usually with two or more people).

Used for lifting objects upward or carrying heavy things together. Also appears in compounds like 抬头 (raise head), 抬价 (raise prices), 抬杠 (argue for the sake of arguing). Can imply elevating status in expressions like 抬举 (to promote/favor someone).

Examples

1. 这个箱子太重了，我们两个人一起抬吧。 This box is too heavy — let's lift it together.
2. 搬家公司的工人把钢琴从楼下抬到了五楼。 The moving company workers carried the piano from downstairs up to the fifth floor.
3. 请大家一起抬起这张桌子，我要打扫下面。 Everyone please lift this table together — I need to clean underneath.

Usage Guide

Context: physical labor, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 帮我抬一下。(Help me lift this.)
• 小心点抬，别摔了。(Lift it carefully — don't drop it.)

Don't Say

• 抬一个苹果 — use 拿 for small light objects; 抬 implies something heavy requiring effort or multiple people

Origin & History

Phono-semantic compound: 扌 (hand radical) indicates the action involves hands, + 台 (tái) provides the sound.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal