Usage of the character 择

to select
to choose
to pick over
to pick out
to differentiate
to eliminate
also pr. (zhái)

zéjī

择机

[擇機]

at the right time; when appropriate

jiǎnzé

拣择

[揀擇]

(literary) to select
to choose

zéshí

择食

[擇食]

to be picky (food)

zháicài

择菜

[擇菜]

to pick the edible part of vegetables

zédìng

择定

[擇定]

to select

cǎizé

采择

[採擇]

to choose and use
to adopt (a decision)

zérì

择日

[擇日]

to fix a date (for an event)
to select an auspicious date

xuǎnzé

选择

[選擇]

to select; to pick
choice; option; alternative

zé'ǒu

择偶

[擇偶]

to choose a spouse

juézé

抉择

[抉擇]

to choose (literary)

zháicì

择刺

[擇刺]

to pick out the bones in a fish

tiānzé

天择

[天擇]

natural selection

zháirìzi

择日子

[擇日子]

to pick an auspicious day

Zhāng Zéduān

张择端

[張擇端]

Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145), Song dynasty painter

xuǎnzétí

选择题

[選擇題]

multiple-choice question

zháibukāi

择不开

[擇不開]

impossible to separate
impossible to disentangle
cannot take time out

xuǎnzéxìng

选择性

[選擇性]

selective
selectiveness
selectivity

bùjiāxuǎnzé

不加选择

[不加選擇]

indiscriminate

liángqínzémù

良禽择木

[良禽擇木]

a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity

bùzéshǒuduàn

不择手段

[不擇手段]

by fair means or foul
by hook or by crook
unscrupulously

biéwúxuǎnzé

别无选择

[別無選擇]

to have no other choice

zéshàn'ércóng

择善而从

[擇善而從]

to choose the right course and follow it (idiom)

wùjìngtiānzé

物竞天择

[物競天擇]

natural selection

kǒubùzéyán

口不择言

[口不擇言]

to speak incoherently
to ramble
to talk irresponsibly

kǒuwúzéyán

口无择言

[口無擇言]

to say not a word that is not appropriate (idiom)
wrongly used for 口不擇言／口不择言 (kǒubùzéyán)

tèyìxuǎnzé

特异选择

[特異選擇]

special choice
special reserve

jībùzéshí

饥不择食

[飢不擇食]

when hungry, you can't pick what you eat (idiom); beggars can't be choosers
When matters are urgent, don't spend time choosing alternatives.

jiǎnyǐnzéshí

拣饮择食

[揀飲擇食]

to choose one's food carefully
to be picky

zìránxuǎnzé

自然选择

[自然選擇]

natural selection

zéshàngùzhí

择善固执

[擇善固執]

to choose what is good and hold fast to it (idiom)

kěxuǎnzédiūqì

可选择丢弃

[可選擇丟棄]

discard eligible (Frame Relay)
DE

zìyóuxuǎnzéquán

自由选择权

[自由選擇權]

free agency

liángqínzémù'érqī

良禽择木而栖

[良禽擇木而棲]

a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in (proverb)
fig. a talented person chooses a patron of integrity

zérìbùrúzhuàngrì

择日不如撞日

[擇日不如撞日]

lit. carefully setting an auspicious date does not beat seizing an opportunity (idiom)
fig. seize the occasion