How to Write 擿 (tī) — Meaning “To pick out; to expose”

Imagine your hand (扌) picking out a hidden clue from a pile of papers, like exposing a secret. The right part 適 can be thought of as "shì" sounding like "share"—you share uncovered truths. Visualize your hand reaching into a box to pick out and expose the truth.

The right side 適 has a lot of strokes—16 in total—so focus on the balance: the left part 扌 is narrow, and the right part is wider. A common mistake is to make the 辶 (walking radical) too small; the bottom of 適 has a long horizontal sweep that should extend past the top components.

擿 (tī) means to pick out or expose, while 撅 (juē) means to stick up or break off, and 撑 (chēng) means to support or prop up. Visually, 撅 has 厥 on the right (shorter and different shape), and 撑 has 掌 (palm) on the right; only 擿 uses 適 on the right side.

擿 is very rare in everyday speech and mostly appears in formal or literary contexts, often in phrases like 擿发 (tī fā, to reveal secrets) or 擿伏 (tī fú, to expose hidden crimes). You might encounter it in legal or investigative writing, but it is not common in daily conversation.

Common words containing 擿 include: 擿抉 (tī jué) — to pick out and expose; 擿发 (tī fā) — to reveal secrets or crimes; 擿伏 (tī fú) — to expose hidden crimes.