Meaning
The kanji 採 (さい, とる) primarily means "to pick," "to gather," or "to collect." By extension, it also conveys "to adopt" or "to select." It describes a deliberate action of taking something, whether a physical item like fruit, a sample for analysis, or a conceptual entity such as an opinion, a policy, or a new employee.
The kanji's structure offers a clear visual cue to its core meaning. The left-hand radical is 手 (て), which means "hand." This fundamental component indicates an action performed with the hand. The right-hand component, 采 (さい), serves both as a phonetic element and carries the meaning of "to pick" or "to gather." Historically, the character 采 visually depicted a hand reaching up to pick fruit from a tree or branch. Therefore, the combination of 手 and 采 directly illustrates "to pick with one's hand," forming an intuitive ideogram that highlights the conscious, manual act of selecting or collecting from a source.
With 11 strokes, 採 is a Jouyou Kanji (常用漢字), part of the standardized list of kanji for general use. It is typically learned at the secondary school level (Grade S, for secondary school-level Jouyou Kanji not assigned to specific elementary grades). Its inclusion in the JLPT N2 curriculum emphasizes its importance for understanding nuanced verbs and compound nouns related to selection, employment, and collection in everyday Japanese.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The On'yomi, or Chinese-derived readings, are mainly used when 採 appears as part of a compound word. These readings often convey a more formal or administrative sense of selection, adoption, or collection.
サイ (sai): This is the primary On'yomi for 採. You'll frequently encounter it in contexts like employment, voting, grading, and the formal adoption of ideas or policies.
- 採用 (saiyō) — adoption; employment; recruitment. This term is widely used in hiring processes or when incorporating a new method.
- 採決 (saiketsu) — vote; decision by vote. This refers to the act of taking a vote in a meeting or assembly.
- 採点 (saiten) — marking; grading. Use this when evaluating tests, essays, or performances.
- 採択 (saitaku) — adoption; selection (e.g., of a resolution or proposal). Similar to 採用, but often used for formal agreements or resolutions.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi, or native Japanese readings, are used when 採 functions as a standalone verb or within a native Japanese compound verb. These readings often capture the more direct, physical act of picking or gathering.
と.る (toru): This is the most common Kun'yomi, forming the verb 採る. It means "to pick" (e.g., fruit, vegetables) or "to adopt" (e.g., an opinion, a method). It emphasizes a deliberate act of taking something from its source.
- 採る (toru) — to pick (e.g., fruit, mushrooms), to adopt (e.g., an opinion, a policy).
- 山菜を採る (sansai o toru) — to pick wild vegetables.
- 意見を採る (iken o toru) — to adopt an opinion.
とり.いれる (toriireru): This reading is found in the compound verb 採り入れる, meaning "to adopt," "to incorporate," or "to take in." It implies bringing something new into an existing system or process.
- 採り入れる (toriireru) — to adopt, to incorporate, to take in.
- 新しい技術を採り入れる (atarashii gijutsu o toriireru) — to incorporate new technology.
- 彼のアイデアを採り入れた (kare no aidea o toriireta) — I incorporated his idea.
Common Words & Compounds
This section presents various compound words featuring 採, grouped by thematic categories to help solidify your understanding of its diverse applications.
Employment and Selection
- 採用 (saiyō) — adoption; employment; recruitment.
- 新卒採用 (shinsotsu saiyō) — hiring of new graduates.
- 採用試験 (saiyō shiken) — employment examination.
Decision and Formal Adoption
- 採決 (saiketsu) — vote; decision by vote.
- 採択 (saitaku) — adoption; selection (e.g., of a resolution or proposal).
Grading and Evaluation
- 採点 (saiten) — marking; grading.
- 採点基準 (saiten kijun) — grading criteria.
Gathering, Collection, and Extraction
- 採集 (saishū) — collection; gathering (e.g., specimens like insects, or data).
- 採取 (saishu) — collection; extraction; gathering (e.g., scientific samples, raw materials). Often used for scientific or medical samples.
- 採掘 (saikutsu) — mining.
- 採血 (saiketsu) — blood collection; venipuncture.
- 採光 (saikō) — taking in light; lighting; natural light.
Example Sentences
彼女は山で山菜を採るのが好きです。
Kanojo wa yama de sansai o toru no ga suki desu.
She likes picking wild vegetables in the mountains.
会議でその提案が採択された。
Kaigi de sono teian ga saitaku sareta.
The proposal was adopted at the meeting.
会社は新しい人材を採用する予定だ。
Kaisha wa atarashii jinzai o saiyō suru yotei da.
The company plans to hire new talent.
先生はテストの採点に追われている。
Sensei wa tesuto no saiten ni owarete iru.
The teacher is busy grading tests.
最新の技術を採り入れることで効率が上がった。
Saishin no gijutsu o toriireru koto de kōritsu ga agatta.
By incorporating the latest technology, efficiency improved.
地層から化石を採集する調査が行われた。
Chisō kara kaseki o saishū suru chōsa ga okonawareta.
A survey was conducted to collect fossils from the geological stratum.
この部屋は採光が良く、とても明るい。
Kono heya wa saikō ga yoku, totemo akarui.
This room has very good natural light and is very bright.
医師は患者から血液を採取した。
Ishi wa kanja kara ketsueki o saishu shita.
The doctor collected blood from the patient.
多くの意見を採り入れて最終案をまとめた。
Ōku no iken o toriirete saishū-an o matometa.
We incorporated many opinions and finalized the proposal.
無記名で採決が行われ、全員賛成で可決された。
Mukimei de saiketsu ga okonaware, zen'in sansei de kaketsu sareta.
A secret ballot was held, and it passed with unanimous approval.
Memory Tip
To remember 採, break it into its components: the left side is the radical 手 (て), meaning "hand," and the right side is 采 (さい), which itself means "to pick" or "to gather." The character 采 is often depicted as a hand reaching up to pick something, like fruit from a tree. So, imagine using your hand (手) to actively pick (采) berries from a bush. This visual directly reinforces the core meanings of "to pick," "to collect," or "to select" something.