cǎiqǔ: 采取 - To Adopt, To Take (Measures)

• Keywords: 采取, caiqu, cǎiqǔ, Chinese verb, take measures, adopt a policy, take action, carry out, Chinese grammar, HSK 4 vocabulary, what does caiqu mean, how to use 采取
• Summary: 采取 (cǎiqǔ) is a formal Chinese verb meaning “to adopt” or “to take” when referring to abstract concepts like measures, policies, actions, or an attitude. Essential for understanding news, business, and official discussions, this word signifies a deliberate, planned response to a situation. This guide will teach you how to use 采取 correctly and avoid common mistakes made by English speakers.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cǎiqǔ
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To adopt or take (a measure, policy, or course of action).
• In a Nutshell: Think of 采取 (cǎiqǔ) as “to select and implement.” It's not about physically taking an object, but about choosing and carrying out a specific strategy or action to deal with a situation. It’s a word you’ll hear when a government announces a new plan, a company decides on a new strategy, or a person resolves to take a particular stance on an issue. It's formal, deliberate, and solution-oriented.

• 采 (cǎi): This character originally depicted a hand picking fruit or leaves from a tree. Its core meaning is “to pick,” “to select,” or “to gather.”
• 取 (qǔ): This character is a combination of an ear (耳) and a hand (又). Historically, it represented a soldier taking the ear of a defeated enemy as a war trophy. Thus, its core meaning is “to take,” “to get,” or “to seize.”

When combined, 采取 (cǎiqǔ) literally means “to select and take.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of choosing a specific course of action from various possibilities and then implementing it.

The use of 采取 (cǎiqǔ) often reflects a pragmatic and structured approach to problem-solving that is common in Chinese governance, business, and formal discourse. When a problem arises, the immediate question is often “我们应该采取什么措施?” (Wǒmen yīnggāi cǎiqǔ shénme cuòshī? - What measures should we adopt?). This highlights a cultural emphasis on having a clear plan and a deliberate response rather than just reacting impulsively. In Western culture, a leader might say, “We need to take action!” This is a general, motivational call. The Chinese equivalent, “我们必须采取行动!” (Wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ xíngdòng!), is similar but feels more concrete. The word 采取 itself implies that the *type* of action has been or needs to be decided. It's less about a general rally cry and more about the implementation of a specific, chosen strategy. This subtle difference underscores a preference for planned, methodical responses in formal Chinese contexts.

采取 (cǎiqǔ) is a staple of formal language and is used across various domains.

• Formality: Highly formal. You will almost never hear it in casual, everyday chat between friends unless they are discussing a serious topic. It is standard in:
  • News broadcasts and articles
  • Government documents and announcements
  • Business meetings and corporate reports
  • Academic writing
  • Formal speeches
• Common Collocations: 采取 is almost always followed by a two-character abstract noun. The most common pairings are:
  • 采取措施 (cǎiqǔ cuòshī): to take measures
  • 采取行动 (cǎiqǔ xíngdòng): to take action
  • 采取政策 (cǎiqǔ zhèngcè): to adopt a policy
  • 采取手段 (cǎiqǔ shǒuduàn): to adopt a method/means (can be neutral or negative)
  • 采取态度 (cǎiqǔ tàidù): to adopt an attitude
  • 采取立场 (cǎiqǔ lìchǎng): to take a stance
• Connotation: The word itself is neutral. The connotation depends entirely on the measure or action being taken. For example, 采取强硬措施 (cǎiqǔ qiángyìng cuòshī - to take tough measures) feels strong, while 采取温和的政策 (cǎiqǔ wēnhé de zhèngcè - to adopt a moderate policy) feels gentle.

• Example 1:
• 政府必须采取有效措施来解决污染问题。
• Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ bìxū cǎiqǔ yǒuxiào cuòshī lái jiějué wūrǎn wèntí.
• English: The government must take effective measures to solve the pollution problem.
• Analysis: This is a classic example of 采取 used in a formal, governmental context. 措施 (cuòshī - measures) is the most common object for 采取.
• Example 2:
• 面对客户的投诉，公司决定采取行动。
• Pinyin: Miànduì kèhù de tóusù, gōngsī juédìng cǎiqǔ xíngdòng.
• English: Facing customer complaints, the company decided to take action.
• Analysis: Here, 采取 is used in a business context. “Take action” is a direct and common translation for 采取行动.
• Example 3:
• 我们应该采取积极的态度去面对生活中的挑战。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen yīnggāi cǎiqǔ jījí de tàidù qù miànduì shēnghuó zhōng de tiǎozhàn.
• English: We should adopt a positive attitude to face the challenges in life.
• Analysis: This shows that 采取 can be used for personal philosophies or approaches, not just large-scale policies.
• Example 4:
• 如果谈判失败，他们可能会采取法律手段。
• Pinyin: Rúguǒ tánpàn shībài, tāmen kěnéng huì cǎiqǔ fǎlǜ shǒuduàn.
• English: If negotiations fail, they might resort to legal means.
• Analysis: 手段 (shǒuduàn - means/methods) is another common object. This sentence demonstrates a serious, potential consequence.
• Example 5:
• 为了控制疫情，许多国家都采取了隔离政策。
• Pinyin: Wèile kòngzhì yìqíng, xǔduō guójiā dōu cǎiqǔ le gélí zhèngcè.
• English: To control the epidemic, many countries adopted quarantine policies.
• Analysis: This shows the use of 采取 with 政策 (zhèngcè - policy), very common in news and political discussions.
• Example 6:
• 对于这个问题，他采取了回避的态度。
• Pinyin: Duìyú zhège wèntí, tā cǎiqǔ le huíbì de tàidù.
• English: Regarding this issue, he adopted an evasive attitude.
• Analysis: This example shows a negative action being “adopted,” highlighting the neutrality of the verb 采取 itself.
• Example 7:
• 学校采取了更严格的规定来保证学生安全。
• Pinyin: Xuéxiào cǎiqǔ le gèng yángé de guīdìng lái bǎozhèng xuéshēng ānquán.
• English: The school adopted stricter regulations to ensure student safety.
• Analysis: This is a common usage in institutional contexts like schools or organizations.
• Example 8:
• 警方采取紧急行动，成功解救了人质。
• Pinyin: Jǐngfāng cǎiqǔ jǐnjí xíngdòng, chénggōng jiějiù le rénzhì.
• English: The police took emergency action and successfully rescued the hostages.
• Analysis: The adjective 紧急 (jǐnjí - emergency) modifies the action, showing how 采取 can be part of a more descriptive phrase.
• Example 9:
• 我们需要采取一种全新的方法来处理这件事。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào cǎiqǔ yī zhǒng quánxīn de fāngfǎ lái chǔlǐ zhè jiàn shì.
• English: We need to adopt a brand-new method to handle this matter.
• Analysis: This demonstrates that 采取 is not limited to a fixed list of nouns; it can be used with any abstract concept of a method or approach.
• Example 10:
• 在国际关系中，该国一向采取中立立场。
• Pinyin: Zài guójì guānxì zhōng, gāi guó yīxiàng cǎiqǔ zhōnglì lìchǎng.
• English: In international relations, that country has always taken a neutral stance.
• Analysis: 采取立场 (cǎiqǔ lìchǎng) means “to take a stance/position” and is standard in political and diplomatic language.

• The “Take” False Friend: This is the most critical mistake for English speakers. 采取 (cǎiqǔ) cannot be used for taking physical objects. It is exclusively for abstract nouns.
  • Incorrect: 我要采取一本书。(Wǒ yào cǎiqǔ yī běn shū.)
  • Correct: 我要拿一本书。(Wǒ yào ná yī běn shū.) - I want to take a book.
  • Incorrect: 他采取了我的手机。(Tā cǎiqǔ le wǒ de shǒujī.)
  • Correct: 他拿走了我的手机。(Tā názǒu le wǒ de shǒujī.) - He took away my phone.
• Requires an Object: In English, you can say “We need to act!” or “Let's take action!” In Chinese, 采取 almost always requires a specific object. You cannot just say “我们采取！” (Wǒmen cǎiqǔ!). You must specify what you are taking.
  • Unnatural: 我们必须采取！(Wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ!)
  • Correct: 我们必须采取行动！(Wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ xíngdòng!) - We must take action!

• 措施 (cuòshī) - Measure; step. The most common noun that follows 采取. It refers to a specific action taken to deal with a situation.
• 实行 (shíxíng) - To implement; to carry out. While 采取 is about *adopting* a plan, 实行 is about *putting it into practice*. They are sequential: first you 采取 a policy, then you 实行 it.
• 采用 (cǎiyòng) - To adopt; to use. Very similar to 采取, but more often used for specific methods, technologies, materials, or suggestions. 采取 is broader and more common for large-scale actions and policies.
• 行动 (xíngdòng) - Action; operation. A very common object for 采取.
• 政策 (zhèngcè) - Policy. Another noun that is frequently adopted (采取).
• 办法 (bànfǎ) - Method; way. A more general and often more informal term for a solution. One typically “thinks of a way” (想办法, xiǎng bànfǎ) rather than formally “adopting a way” (采取办法).
• 拿 (ná) - To take; to get; to hold. The verb for physically taking an object. The most important verb to distinguish from 采取.