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收集 (shōu jí) — to collect; to gather

Definition

The general-purpose 'to collect / gather' (information, materials, opinions, items). Pairs with abstract nouns like 资料 or 信息; 搜集 is more about actively searching things out, and 收藏 implies keeping valued items.

verb
to collectto gather

Examples

  • 收集。
    Tā xǐ huan shōu jí yóu piào.
    He likes to collect stamps.
  • 收集。
    Wǒ men shōu jí le hěn duō zī liào.
    We gathered a lot of materials.
  • 收集。
    Zhè xiē shù jù xū yào zǐ xì shōu jí.
    These data need to be carefully collected.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

收shōugather
集jígather

收 and 集 both mean gather, so 收集 means to collect.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

集 pairs 隹 (bird) with 木 (tree), showing birds on a tree, hence a gathering.

Open 集 →
Appears in
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