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聚首 (jù shǒu) — (formal) to gather together, to meet (of a group)

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning a group gathers in one place — used for reunions of friends, scholars, leaders, etc., not casual meetings. Closer to 'convene' or 'assemble' than the everyday 见面.

verb
(formal) to gather togetherto meet (of a group)

Examples

  • 聚首。
    Lǎo péng you men měi nián chūn jié dōu huì jù shǒu yí cì.
    Old friends gather once every Spring Festival.
  • ，。
    Tā men shàng cì jù guò yí cì shǒu, liáo dé hěn kāi xīn.
    They gathered once last time and had a great chat.
  • 聚首。
    Lái zì gè dì de xué zhě jiāng zài běi jīng jù shǒu.
    Scholars from all over will gather in Beijing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

聚jùgather
首shǒuhead

聚, gathering, and 首, heads, combine to mean people coming together to meet.

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
乑乑yínthree men
Sound part声符shēngfú
取
取qǔ聚jù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

聚 is built from 取, which gives the sound, and 乑, drawn as three men, to show people coming together.

Open 聚 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from an old drawing of an animal's head, showing a long mouth and horns; the version with hair became 首.

Open 首 →
Appears in
Friends & Social

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