[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Anatomy-and-Living \ #Hand-Actions # 采 cǎi to pick; a measure word for frecuency ## Components [[釆 (biàn)]] [[爫 (zhǎo)]] [[木 (mù)]] [[木 mù]] ## Meaning Nowadays, the character 采 (cǎi) retains several related meanings: 1. **To Pick or Gather**: This is the most direct meaning, referring to the act of picking or gathering items, such as fruit or flowers. Example: 采摘 (cǎizhāi) - to pick (fruits, flowers, etc.). 2. **To Collect**: This extends to gathering information or materials. Example: 采集 (cǎijí) - to collect (data, information, etc.). 3. **To Choose or Select**: It is often used in contexts where choices or selections are made. Example: 采用 (cǎiyòng) - to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.). 4. **Spirit or Appearance**: When used in phrases, it can describe someone's spirited demeanor or appearance. Example: 神采奕奕 (shén cǎi yì yì) - full of vigor and vitality. 5. **As a Measure Word**: It can also be used to describe frequency or instances in a formal or poetic sense. Example: 酒过三巡 (jiǔ guò sān xún) - after three rounds of drinking. Overall, 采 is a versatile character used in various contexts involving selection, collection, and description of appearance. ## History The character 采 (cǎi) originally meant to lightly pick fruit with fingers. In ancient scripts like oracle bone inscriptions, the character depicted a hand picking fruit from a tree, representing the act of picking or harvesting. **Evolution and Uses:** 1. **Original Meaning**: The primary meaning of 采 is "to pick" or "to gather," referring to using fingers to pick fruit. 2. **Extended Meanings**: - **To Gather**: Over time, 采 also came to mean "to collect" or "to gather." - **To Choose**: It is often used to mean "to select" or "to adopt," as in采纳 (cǎinà), meaning "to adopt" or "to accept." 3. **As a Noun**: It can signify spirit or demeanor, often describing someone as spirited or lively, e.g., 神采奕奕 (shén cǎi yì yì), meaning "full of vigor and vitality." **Character Structure**: - **Pictographic Roots**: The oracle bone script shows a hand picking fruit from a tree. - **Components**: It consists of the components 爪 (hand) and 木 (tree), visually depicting the act of picking from a tree. Today, 采 retains these meanings and is used in various contexts related to picking, gathering, selecting, and even describing a person's spirited appearance. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[采 cǎi - ora 1.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[采 cǎi - bronce 1.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[采 cǎi - sello 1.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[采 cǎi - cle 1.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[采 cǎi - reg 1.svg]]