摘

• Pinyin: zhāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 摘 = 扌 (hand) + 啇 (phonetic), to pick by hand

Meaning

To pick; to pluck; to remove. Taking something off by hand, especially from a plant.

Primary meaning is picking fruits, flowers, or vegetables. Extended meanings include: 摘帽子 (take off a hat), 摘眼镜 (remove glasses), 摘要 (abstract/summary - picking out key points). Related: 采摘 (to pick/harvest).

Examples

1. 孩子们在果园里摘苹果。 The children are picking apples in the orchard.
2. 他摘下眼镜，揉了揉眼睛。 He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
3. 请把这篇文章的要点摘出来。 Please extract the key points from this article.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, actions, extraction

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 帮我摘几个西红柿。(Help me pick some tomatoes.)
• 进屋请摘帽子。(Please take off your hat when entering.)

Don't Say

• 摘钱 (Don't use for taking money — use 拿 or 取)

Origin & History

Composed of 扌 (hand) and 啇 (phonetic). The hand radical indicates the picking action.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal