一、作用對象是物
1、從 pick up 的字面上可以看出，它最基本的意思是」拿起；提起；拾起；撿起「，通常是用手，例如：
Would you please pick up that book from off the floor?
請你把地板上的那本書撿起來好嗎？
Don't go picking these boxes up if your back is injured.
如果你的背受傷了，不要去撿這些箱子。
注意：pick up 作用的對象也可以是人，但是翻譯的時候不能說：拿起或是撿起某個人。
2、意為「買」，特別是偶然的機會買到便宜的東西，例如：
Let's pick up a couple of magazines for the train ride.
我們買幾本雜誌乘火車去吧。
I picked this coat up at the sale.
我在大減價時買的這件外套。
We managed to pick up a few bargains at the auction.
我們從拍賣場買到了幾件便宜貨。
3、意為「感染；得到」，例如：
I think I picked up Tommy's cold.
我想我是感染了湯米的感冒。
Qualified specialists can pick up over $100 an hour.
有資格的專家每小時能得到超過100美元的報酬。
4、意為「察覺；發現；注意到」，例如：
We picked up a signal that appears to be coming from Saturn!
我們發現了一個似乎來自土星的信號！
We can pick up the motorway in a few miles.
經過幾英裡以後我們就能發現高速公路。
5、意為「恢復原狀，回到（本題）」，例如：
After I came back from London, we picked things up again as if I had never left.
我從倫敦回來後，我們把所有的東西恢復原狀，好像我從未離開過似的。
He picks up this theme again in later chapters of the book.
在該書的後幾章，他又重回到這個主題上。
6、意為「收拾，整理」，例如：
John's upstairs picking his room up.
約翰在樓上收拾房間。
Will you pick up all your toys?
把你的玩具都收起來好不好？
7、意為「」接收「，通常是信號、圖象，聲音等，例如：
We were able to pick up the BBC World Service.
我們能收到英國廣播公司國際廣播節目。
8、意為」（偶然）得到，聽到，學會「，例如：
My parents were afraid that I would pick up bad habits at summer camp.
我父母擔心我在夏令營會染上壞習慣。
She never studied French in school—she just picked it up when she was working in Paris.
她在學校從來沒有學過法語，只是在巴黎工作時學的。
9、意為」辨認，識別出，察覺「，例如：
I picked up on my roommate's bad mood and left him alone.
我察覺到我室友的壞心情，把他一個人留下了。
Scientists can now pick up early signs of the disease.
現在科學家能夠辨認這種疾病的早期症狀。
10、意為」取回，收集「，例如：
I need to go pick up my bike from the shop. They said they were finished working on it.
我要去商店取我的自行車。他們說他們已經完成了。
I'm heading out to pick up my lawnmower from Steve's house.
我要去史蒂夫家拿我的割草機。
二、pick up 作用的對象是人
1、意為」舉起，抱起「，例如：
My son is constantly asking me to pick him up. I can't get anything done around here!
我兒子總是要我把他舉起來。我什麼都做不了了。
His leg was injured, so the trainers picked up Larry and carried him off the field.
他的腿受傷了，所以教練把拉裡抱起來，把他帶離了球場。
2、意為」開車接人；讓人乘車，搭載」，例如：
I'll come by your house at 8 o'clock and pick you up.
我八點鐘到你家來接你。
It's illegal to pick up hitchhikers.
搭便車是違法的。
3、意為「搭訕，勾搭」，通常有猥褻的表現，例如：
I can't believe I let a meathead like him pick me up.
我真不敢相信我居然讓他這樣的笨蛋和我搭訕。
He goes to clubs to pick up girls.
他到夜總會去泡妞。
4、意為「逮捕，抓捕」，通常是警察，例如：
They picked the suspect up in a motel on the outskirts of town.
他們在城郊的一家汽車旅館裡把嫌疑犯抓了起來。
The police picked him up for burglary.
警察以盜竊罪逮捕了他。
5、意為「提神；使人覺得舒服」，例如：
Here, have a bite to eat. It will pick you up a bit.
來，吃點東西。它會讓你振作起來的。
I need a cup of coffee to pick me up—I'm falling asleep at the wheel!
我需要一杯咖啡來接我——我開車睡著了！
6、pick oneself up 意為」站起來「，通常是跌倒後或是經歷了失敗後站起來，例如：
Jim picked himself up and stood there waiting.
吉姆站起來站在那兒等著。
The economic crash totally ruined my business, but I picked myself up and got work wherever I could.
經濟危機徹底毀了我的生意，但我振作起來，在任何可能的地方找到了工作。
People all over the state are picking themselves up now that the hurricane has passed.
颶風過去了，全州的人都在振作起來。
三、pick up 單獨使用
1、意為」接電話「，例如：
I tried his home number but he didn't pick up.
我試過他的家庭號碼，但他沒有接。
The phone rang and rang and nobody picked up.
電話鈴響了又響，但沒人接。
解析：當上下文沒有出現 phone 的時候，若要表達接電話，pick up 後面要接 the phone，不能沒人知道你要做什麼， 例如：
I went to pick up the phone, but it had stopped ringing.
我去接電話，但它不再響了。
2、意為」改善，改強，好轉「，例如：
The film was pretty boring initially, but it picked up in the second half.
這部電影一開始很無聊，但在下半場就開始上映了。
It was a rough year, but things have been picking up lately.
這是艱難的一年，但最近情況有所好轉。
Trade usually picks up in the spring.
貿易一般在春天回升。
The wind is picking up now.
現在風愈刮愈大了。
Sales have picked up 14% this year.
今年銷售額增長了14%。
可以延伸表示加速時，後面可以接 speed， 例如：
The plane picked up speed.
飛機加速了。
The truck picked up speed slowly.
卡車慢慢加速。
3、意為」（為某人）收拾，整理「，通常後面跟 after，例如：
I'm sick of picking up after you!
我受夠了替你收拾！
All I seem to do is cook, wash and pick up after the kids.
燒飯、洗衣、跟在孩子屁股後頭收拾東西——好像這就是我全部的活兒。
四、pick up on
1、 意為「領略；意會；意識到」，例如：
Only one newspaper picked up on the contradictions in the statement.
只有一家報紙注意到了聲明中的矛盾之處。
2、意為「回到；重提」，通常是問題或要點，例如：
If I could just pick up on a question you raised earlier.
請允許我重提一下您早先提出的問題。
Can I just pick up on your first point again, please?
我能再說一遍你第一次的要點嗎？
3、pick sb up on 意為「提到某人的錯誤；挑毛病；算舊帳「，例如：
His teacher picked him up on his pronunciation.
他的老師提到了他的錯誤的發音。
I knew he would pick me up on that slip sooner or later.
我知道他遲早會提起我那個小的。