撮

cuō
#3,479 most
frequent character
to pick up (a powder etc) with the fingertips

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

撮 combines 扌 hand with 最 zuì, which means 'to gather' and also supplies the sound. Hand plus gathering gives the first sense 'to grab and take'. That grew to 'to scoop up, collect'. Read zuǒ, it is a measure word for hair or grass.

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Same Characters, Different Readings

撮zuǒ
classifier for hair or grass: tuft

Homophones

HSK 6
搓cuō
to rub or roll between the hands or fingers

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