接送 (jiē sòng) — to pick up and drop off (someone); to transport to and from

Definition

接送 combines 接 ('pick up / receive') and 送 ('drop off / send') as a single verb meaning to escort a person both ways (school, work, airport). It refers to the person doing the driving or accompanying, not a transport service in general.

verb
to pick up and drop off (someone)to transport to and from

Examples

  • 接送。
    Wǒ měi tiān jiē sòng hái zi shàng xué hé fàng xué.
    I pick up and drop off my child to and from school every day.
  • 接送。
    Gōng sī yǒu zhuān chē jiē sòng yuán gōng shàng xià bān.
    The company has a dedicated car to transport employees to and from work.
  • 接送。
    Tā fù zé jiē sòng jī chǎng de kè rén.
    He is responsible for picking up and dropping off guests at the airport.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

接jiēreceive or pick up
送sòngsend or drop off

接 means receive or pick up and 送 means send or drop off, describing both directions of transport.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
妾
妾qiè接jiē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 shows a hand, matching the sense of receiving something in the hand, while 妾 gives the character its sound.

Open 接 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
灷
灷zhuàn送sòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

送 combines 辶, the walking radical, with 灷, which supplies the sound; the walking part fits meanings like see off or deliver.

Open 送 →
Appears in

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