How to Write 搴 (qiān) — Meaning “lift / pluck”

Imagine a hand (手) reaching up under a large flag (like 搴旗) and lifting it high — the top part 䜦 looks like a pole with a banner. This visual of grabbing and raising a flag helps link the shape to the meaning.

The top part 䜦 is wide and should be written first, with the central stroke descending through the middle. The bottom 手 has a horizontal stroke that must be balanced under the top; a common mistake is making the hand too small or misaligning the vertical strokes.

搴 (lift/pluck) uses 手 under a phonetic top, while 掌 (palm/slap) uses a hand on top of 尚 — 掌 emphasizes the palm of the hand. 掣 (pull/draw) has 制 on top plus 手, meaning to pull or drag, not lift upward like 搴.

搴 appears mostly in classical or literary contexts, such as in the idioms 搴旗 (seize the enemy's flag) and 搴裳 (lift one's skirt to cross a stream). It is rarely used in daily conversation but evokes an elegant, action-oriented image in writing.

Common words containing 搴 include: 搴旗 (qiān qí) — seize the flag; 搴裳 (qiān shang) — lift up one's skirt; 搴取 (qiān qǔ) — pluck / pick.