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收起 (shōu qǐ) — to put away, to pack up (objects, possessions); to stop, to cut out (talking, behavior)

Definition

Literally 'collect and raise': gather scattered things and put them away, OR stop an unwanted behavior (talking, attitude). The 把 construction is common for the first sense (把你的书∼).

verb
to put awayto pack up (objects, possessions)to stopto cut out (talking, behavior)

Examples

  • 收起。
    Qǐng bǎ nǐ de shū shōu qǐ.
    Please put your books away.
  • 收起。
    Shàng kè de shí hou jì de shōu qǐ shǒu jī.
    Remember to put away your phone during class.
  • 收起，。
    shōu qǐ Nǐ nà tào wāi lǐ ba, méi rén xìn.
    Cut out all that false reasoning — nobody believes it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

收shōugather
起qǐup

"收" (gather) and "起" (up) mean lift or gather something up, hence pack away.

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 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →
Appears in
Cleaning & Chores

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