取 (qǔ): to take

Meanings

1 to take
2 to get
3 to fetch

Characters

取

qǔ

take; get; fetch

Combines 耳 (ear) + 又 (hand) — originally meant to take an enemy's ear as proof of victory.

Examples

我去银行取钱。

Wǒ qù yínháng qǔ qián.

I'm going to the bank to withdraw money.

请取一个号。

Qǐng qǔ yī gè hào.

Please take a number.

快递到了，去取吧。

Kuàidì dào le, qù qǔ ba.

The delivery has arrived, go pick it up.

Tips

usage

Common compounds: 取钱 (withdraw money), 取名 (give a name), 取消 (cancel).

Components

radical

又 yòu

right hand

Hand radical on the right — the indexing semantic. 又 is a stylised right hand reaching out. In 取 it does the literal taking, grasping the ear (耳). The hand+ear pictograph is the cleanest possible 'take-by-grabbing' image, and the 又 radical files 取 with other action-by-hand verbs like 收, 受, 友.

semantic

耳 ěr

ear

Ear on the left — pictures the human ear. The graph has a grim origin: ancient warriors took the left ears of slain enemies as proof of kills, and 取 was the verb for that act. The meaning broadened from 'cut off the ear' to 'seize, take, fetch' (取得 obtain, 录取 admit).