攒

• Pinyin: zǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 扌= hand (semantic — collecting/gathering); 赞 = phonetic component

Meaning

To save up; to accumulate; to collect gradually over time. To gather something — money, resources, or points — bit by bit through patient effort.

A colloquial but important verb in daily financial and social contexts. 攒钱 (to save money), 攒积分 (to accumulate points), 攒经验 (to build up experience). Implies steady, incremental accumulation rather than sudden acquisition. Very commonly used by younger generations in consumer and self-improvement contexts.

Examples

1. 她整整攒了三年的工资，才凑齐了出国深造所需的费用。 She saved up three full years of pay before she could finally cover the cost of studying abroad.
2. 这位老人每天坚持步行上街买菜，顺便攒够步数换取平台的健康积分。 This elderly man insists on walking to the market every day and, along the way, racks up enough steps to trade for health points on the platform.
3. 实习阶段最重要的是攒经验、建人脉，而不是急着争薪资待遇。 At the internship stage, the most important thing is to build experience and connections—not to rush to negotiate salary and benefits.

Usage Guide

Context: personal finance, everyday life, self-improvement

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 他在校期间靠做兼职慢慢攒下了一笔小小的创业启动资金，毕业后便着手创业。(During his studies, he gradually saved up a small start-up fund through part-time jobs and launched his business right after graduation.)
• 积分兑换活动要求用户攒满八百积分方可兑换实物礼品，期限内有效。(The points redemption event requires users to accumulate 800 points before redeeming physical gifts, valid within the specified period.)

Don't Say

• 攒一个计划 — use 制定 or 拟定 for forming abstract plans; 攒 is for tangible or quantifiable accumulation, not ideas or intentions

Origin & History

Pictophonetic: 扌(hand) + 赞 (phonetic) — gathering with the hands

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal