收摊 (shōu tān) — to pack up the stall; to close up shop for the day; (figuratively) to call it a day, to finish up work for now

Definition

A 离合 verb meaning to pack up one's street stall and stop for the day, often used figuratively to mean 'call it a day' on any tiring work. The noun 摊 splits off with 了 or reduplicates (收收摊).

verb
to pack up the stallto close up shop for the day(figuratively) to call it a dayto finish up work for now

Examples

  • 收摊。
    Tā men měi tiān xià wǔ wǔ diǎn shōu tān.
    They pack up the stall at five every afternoon.
  • ，收摊。
    Jīn tiān tài lèi le, wǒ men shōu tān ba.
    I'm really tired today — let's call it a day.
  • 。
    Tā shōu le tān jiù huí jiā le.
    He packed up the stall and went home.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

收shōupack up
摊tānstall

收 means pack up and 摊 is a market stall, so the action is packing up the stall.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攤; 摊 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
難
難nán攤tān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 攤 uses 手 (hand) and 難 for sound.

Open 摊 →

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