TongTong
Sign in

收发 (shōu fā) — to receive and send; to handle (incoming and outgoing items)

Definition

Combined verb meaning to receive and send (or dispatch) the same type of item — typically mail, documents, or messages. Used as a unit rather than for two separate one-way actions.

verb
to receive and sendto handle (incoming and outgoing items)

Examples

  • 收发。
    Tā měi tiān shōu fā yóu jiàn.
    He receives and sends emails every day.
  • 收发。
    Cāng kù xū yào zhuān rén shōu fā huò wù.
    The warehouse needs a dedicated person to receive and dispatch goods.
  • 收发。
    Chuán zhēn jī kě yǐ tóng shí shōu fā wén jiàn.
    The fax machine can receive and send documents simultaneously.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

收shōureceive
发fāsend

收 means receive and 发 means send, so the word covers handling incoming and outgoing items.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū收shōu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

收 uses 攴 to show an action and 丩 as a sound clue; the old meaning was 'to arrest.'

Open 收 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
Mail & Messaging

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.