掏

• Pinyin: tāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 掏 = 扌 (hand) + 匋 (phonetic) — to reach in with the hand and pull out

Meaning

To take out; to dig out; to pull from (a pocket or bag). Reaching into something to retrieve an object.

Common actions: 掏钱 (to pay, take out money), 掏口袋 (to reach into one's pocket), 掏手机 (to pull out phone), 掏耳朵 (to clean ears). Can also mean figuratively to spend money: 掏腰包 (to pay out of pocket). The action implies reaching into an enclosed space.

Examples

1. 他从口袋里掏出一把钥匙。 He took a key out of his pocket.
2. 这次旅行让我掏了不少钱。 This trip made me spend quite a bit of money.
3. 她掏出手机看了看时间。 She pulled out her phone to check the time.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, actions, money

Tone: colloquial

Do Say

• 别让我掏钱请客啊。(Don't make me pay for everyone.)
• 他掏出证件给警察看。(He took out his ID to show the police.)

Don't Say

• 从桌上拿东西不用'掏' (Don't use 掏 for taking things from a table surface — use 拿; 掏 implies reaching into an enclosed space)

Origin & History

A phonosemantic compound with 扌 (hand) radical indicating a hand action, and 匋 as the phonetic component.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal