Meaning
拾 has two main uses: as a verb meaning 'to pick up' or 'gather' (often objects from the ground), and as the formal/complex form of the number ten (10), used primarily in financial contexts to prevent fraud. The verb usage is common in everyday speech, while the numeral usage appears mainly in formal documents, receipts, and checks.
Usage
As a verb, 拾 is often used in compounds like 拾起 (pick up) or 收拾 (tidy up). The numeral form appears on official documents to prevent alteration of amounts, since the simple 十 can be easily changed to other numbers. In casual conversation, people usually say 十 for 'ten', not 拾.
Examples
- 01他弯腰拾起地上的钱包。.He bent down and picked up the wallet from the ground.
- 02支票上写着金额壹拾万元整。' .The check was written for an amount of exactly one hundred thousand yuan.
Common collocations
- 拾起to pick up
- 收拾to tidy up, to pack
- 拾荒to scavenge for recyclables
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 扌(hand radical) with 合 (to join together), suggesting the action of hands gathering or collecting things together. Its use as a formal numeral developed to prevent financial document tampering.