Meaning Index

Chinese characters meaning "to lift"

Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to lift", including 提 (tí / dī), 举 (jǔ), 抬 (tái). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…

How to Study This Meaning Group

The English word "to lift" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 提 (tí / dī), 举 (jǔ), 抬 (tái) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span tí, dī, jǔ, tái — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 提 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.

提 tí / dīcarry (suspended); to carry; to lift; to put forward; (upwards character stroke); lifting (brush stroke in painting)Useful words: 提出, 提高
举 jǔto lift; to hold up; to cite; to enumerate; to act; to raiseUseful words: 举行, 举手
抬 táito lift; to raise; (of two or more persons) to carryUseful words: 抬头, 抬起

Common words for these 3 "to lift" characters

Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 提 (tí / dī) — so "to lift" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.

提出tí chūto raise (an issue); to propose; to put forward; to suggest 提高tí gāoto raise; to increase; to improve 提到tí dàoto mention; to raise (a subject); to refer to 举行jǔ xíngto hold (a meeting, ceremony etc)举手jǔ shǒuto raise a hand; to put up one's hand (as signal)举办jǔ bànto conduct; to hold (an event)抬头tái tóuto raise one's head; to look up; (fig.) to begin to emerge; to show signs of growth 抬起tái qǐto lift up 抬高tái gāoto raise (price etc)

See each character in a sentence

Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "to lift".

提 tí / dī — carry (suspended); to carry; to lift; to put forward; (upwards character stroke); lifting (brush stroke in painting)

他提着一个很重的箱子。Tā tí zhe yí ge hěn zhòng de xiāng zi.He is carrying a very heavy box.

Common words: 提出 (tí chū)、提高 (tí gāo)、提到 (tí dào)

举 jǔ — to lift; to hold up; to cite; to enumerate; to act; to raise

有问题请举手。Yǒu wèn tí qǐng jǔ shǒu.If you have a question, please raise your hand.

Common words: 举行 (jǔ xíng)、举手 (jǔ shǒu)、举办 (jǔ bàn)

抬 tái — to lift; to raise; (of two or more persons) to carry

我们一起把这张桌子抬过去。Wǒ men yì qǐ bǎ zhè zhāng zhuō zi tái guò qù.Let us carry this table over together.

Common words: 抬头 (tái tóu)、抬起 (tái qǐ)、抬高 (tái gāo)

All 3 characters

Open 提、举、抬 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.

Character#1 提 tí / dīcarry (suspended); to carry; to lift; to put forward; (upwards character stroke); lifting (brush stroke in painting)Traditional: 提 Character#2 举 jǔto lift; to hold up; to cite; to enumerate; to act; to raiseTraditional: 舉 Character#3 抬 táito lift; to raise; (of two or more persons) to carryTraditional: 抬