Radical 扌

9 strokes

hand 扌 (152a) + join together 合 (347) = pick up 拾

This character and the previous one are another pair of characters made up from the same components. Notice that in the previous story the hand is underneath, to reflect this difference.

拾 is used for “ten” (instead of 十) on bank checks, to prevent alterations.

(The king says to the princess) “You must accept the hand of the winning suitor and join together with him in matrimony. each suitor will pick up the marital plate. / The fairy will sit on the plate with a shallot balanced on her head, and the one who keeps it balanced there the longest will be the winner.”