TongTong
Sign in

吸收 (xī shōu) — to absorb, to assimilate (liquids, nutrients, knowledge, etc.); to recruit (new members, employees)

Definition

吸收 covers both senses here: to absorb (liquid, knowledge — broader than 消化 'digest', which is mainly food) and to recruit (people). For lessons/experience, 吸取 is the more abstract "draw from" word.

verb
to absorbto assimilate (liquids, nutrients, knowledge, etc.)to recruit (new members, employees)

Examples

  • 吸收。
    Shù cóng tǔ lǐ xī shōu shuǐ.
    The tree absorbs water from the soil.
  • 吸收。
    Tā xī shōu xīn zhī shi de néng lì hěn qiáng.
    His ability to absorb new knowledge is very strong.
  • 吸收。
    Gōng sī jīn nián xī shōu le hěn duō xīn yuán gōng.
    The company recruited many new employees this year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

吸xīabsorb
收shōureceive

吸收 joins 吸 (absorb) and 收 (receive), expressing taking in substances, knowledge, or people.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí吸xī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

吸 pairs 口 (mouth) with 及, which gives the sound and relates to grabbing, so the shape suggests grabbing through the mouth.

Open 吸 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract ConceptsScience (General)

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.