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收到 (shōu dào) — to receive

Definition

收到 is a result verb meaning 'to receive' — something arrives in your hands, like a letter or notice. Pair it with 得到 ('to obtain/achieve') for general acquisition; 接受 is for accepting ideas or offers.

verb
to receive

Examples

  • 收到。
    Wǒ shōu dào le nǐ de lǐ wù.
    I received your gift.
  • 收到。
    Zuó tiān tā shōu dào le wǒ de xìn.
    Yesterday he received my letter.
  • 收到？
    Nǐ men shōu dào tōng zhī le ma?
    Did you receive the notice?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

收shōureceive
到dàoarrive

收 means receive and 到 means arrive, so 收到 means to receive.

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
至至zhìto arrive
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo到dào
Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Open 到 →
Appears in
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