====== shōugòu: 收购 - To acquire, to purchase, acquisition ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** shougou, shōugòu, 收购, shougou meaning, Chinese for acquisition, company acquisition in Chinese, corporate takeover Chinese, M&A in Chinese, purchase vs acquire in Chinese, buy up, procure.
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and usage of **shōugòu (收购)**, a key Chinese term for "to acquire" or "purchase." This page explains how **shōugòu** is used in formal business contexts, such as corporate acquisitions and large-scale procurement, and contrasts it with the everyday word for "buy," `买 (mǎi)`. Discover its cultural significance in China's modern economy through practical examples and clear analysis, perfect for any Mandarin learner interested in business or economics.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shōugòu
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
  * **Concise Definition:** To purchase or acquire something in a large quantity or in a formal, official transaction.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **Shōugòu** isn't the word you use for buying groceries. Think bigger. It's the word for a tech giant buying a startup, a company buying tons of raw materials, or the government buying all the grain from a region. It implies a strategic, large-scale, and often formal process of "gathering and buying," which is precisely what the characters mean.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **收 (shōu):** To receive, to collect, to gather in. Picture a hand reaching out to gather and bring things together. It implies collecting multiple items or taking control of something.
  * **购 (gòu):** To purchase, to buy. This character is composed of `贝 (bèi)`, the radical for "shell" (which was used as ancient currency), and `勾 (gōu)`, which provides the phonetic sound. So, it literally means to use money/valuables to get something.
  * When combined, **收购 (shōugòu)** creates a powerful meaning: "to gather by purchasing." This emphasizes the scale and completeness of the transaction, far more than a simple one-off purchase.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * In the context of China's rapid economic growth, **收购 (shōugòu)** is an extremely important and frequently used term in news and business. It reflects the country's economic strategy, from state-led procurement of agricultural goods to ensure food security, to the aggressive international M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions, or **兼并与收购 jiānbìng yǔ shōugòu**) activities of Chinese corporations.
  * **Comparison to "Acquisition":** While `收购` is a direct translation of the business term "acquisition," its usage is slightly broader in Chinese. In the West, "acquisition" almost exclusively refers to a corporate takeover. In China, while that is its primary meaning, it can also describe large-scale procurement by the state or a company, like **收购粮食 (shōugòu liángshi)** - "to purchase grain." This reflects a cultural and economic perspective where the line between state-level economic planning and corporate strategy can be more fluid than in the West. It highlights the importance of supply chain control and resource gathering in the Chinese economic mindset.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Corporate Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A):** This is the most common context. You will see it constantly in financial news reports about one company buying another.
    * //e.g., "Company A announced its acquisition of Company B."//
  * **Large-Scale Procurement:** This applies when a company buys raw materials in bulk or when the government purchases agricultural products from farmers. It implies a systematic, large-quantity transaction.
    * //e.g., "The factory needs to acquire a new batch of steel."//
  * **Collecting Valuables:** In a more formal context, it can be used for acquiring antiques, art, or even old books, especially by an institution or a serious collector.
    * //e.g., "The museum acquired a famous painting."//
  * **Formality:** **Shōugòu** is a formal word. Using it in casual, everyday shopping situations would sound very strange and overly dramatic. For buying a coffee or a new shirt, you must use **买 (mǎi)**.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 去年，我们公司**收购**了一家小型科技公司。
    * Pinyin: Qùnián, wǒmen gōngsī **shōugòu**le yījiā xiǎoxíng kējì gōngsī.
    * English: Last year, our company acquired a small tech company.
    * Analysis: This is the classic business usage of **shōugòu** as a verb, referring to a corporate takeover.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 这次**收购**对整个行业都产生了巨大的影响。
    * Pinyin: Zhè cì **shōugòu** duì zhěnggè hángyè dōu chǎnshēngle jùdà de yǐngxiǎng.
    * English: This acquisition had a huge impact on the entire industry.
    * Analysis: Here, **收购** is used as a noun, meaning "the acquisition" or "the deal."
  * **Example 3:**
    * 政府开始**收购**农民手中的余粮。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ kāishǐ **shōugòu** nóngmín shǒuzhōng de yúliáng.
    * English: The government began to purchase the surplus grain from the hands of the farmers.
    * Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the large-scale procurement meaning, a common usage in the context of state economic policy.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 他们的**收购**计划最终以失败告终。
    * Pinyin: Tāmen de **shōugòu** jìhuà zuìzhōng yǐ shībài gàozhōng.
    * English: Their acquisition plan ultimately ended in failure.
    * Analysis: Another example of **收购** as a noun, used within the compound word **收购计划 (shōugòu jìhuà)**, meaning "acquisition plan."
  * **Example 5:**
    * 这家跨国企业正考虑**收购**其主要竞争对手。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā kuàguó qǐyè zhèng kǎolǜ **shōugòu** qí zhǔyào jìngzhēng duìshǒu.
    * English: This multinational corporation is considering acquiring its main competitor.
    * Analysis: This highlights a strategic, often aggressive, business move known as a hostile or competitive takeover.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 废品站专门**收购**旧报纸和塑料瓶。
    * Pinyin: Fèipǐnzhàn zhuānmén **shōugòu** jiù bàozhǐ hé sùliào píng.
    * English: The recycling station specializes in purchasing old newspapers and plastic bottles.
    * Analysis: This shows **shōugòu** can be used for "buying up" large quantities of lower-value goods in a systematic way. It's not a corporate takeover, but it's more than a simple `买 (mǎi)`.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 博物馆花了重金**收购**了这件古代瓷器。
    * Pinyin: Bówùguǎn huāle zhòngjīn **shōugòu**le zhè jiàn gǔdài cíqì.
    * English: The museum spent a great deal of money to acquire this piece of ancient porcelain.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the use of **shōugòu** in the context of acquiring valuable cultural artifacts.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 关于**收购**的价格，双方仍在谈判。
    * Pinyin: Guānyú **shōugòu** de jiàgé, shuāngfāng réng zài tánpàn.
    * English: Regarding the price of the acquisition, both sides are still negotiating.
    * Analysis: Shows **收购** used as a noun to refer to the transaction itself.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 这家公司因资金问题放弃了**收购**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn zījīn wèntí fàngqìle **shōugòu**.
    * English: This company gave up on the acquisition due to funding problems.
    * Analysis: A common business scenario where a planned acquisition does not proceed.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 我们的目标是**收购**市场上所有可用的原材料。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen de mùbiāo shì **shōugòu** shìchǎng shàng suǒyǒu kěyòng de yuáncáiliào.
    * English: Our goal is to buy up all available raw materials on the market.
    * Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the "buy up" or "corner the market" aspect of **shōugòu**, showing its scale and strategic intent.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **`收购 (shōugòu)` vs. `买 (mǎi)`:** This is the most crucial distinction for learners. **`买 (mǎi)`** is the general, all-purpose verb for "to buy." You use it for daily shopping. **`收购 (shōugòu)`** is reserved for large-scale, formal, or strategic transactions.
    * **Incorrect:** 我今天去超市**收购**了一些牛奶。(Wǒ jīntiān qù chāoshì **shōugòu**le yīxiē niúnǎi.) - This sounds absurd, like you're a corporation performing a hostile takeover of the dairy aisle.
    * **Correct:** 我今天去超市**买**了一些牛奶。(Wǒ jīntiān qù chāoshì **mǎi**le yīxiē niúnǎi.) - "I went to the supermarket and bought some milk today."
  * **`收购 (shōugòu)` vs. `购买 (gòumǎi)`:** `购买 (gòumǎi)` is a more formal version of `买 (mǎi)`. It's often used in written language or formal speech for significant purchases (like a car or a house), but it doesn't necessarily imply the massive scale or strategic takeover that **`收购 (shōugòu)`** does. **`收购`** is a subset of **`购买`** specifically for acquisitions and bulk procurement.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[兼并]] (jiānbìng) - Merger. Often appears with **收购** in the set phrase **兼并与收购 (jiānbìng yǔ shōugòu)**, which means "Mergers and Acquisitions" (M&A).
  * [[购买]] (gòumǎi) - To purchase. A more formal synonym for `买`, but less specific and grand-scale than `收购`.
  * [[采购]] (cǎigòu) - To procure, to purchase for an organization. This is the verb for what a company's purchasing department does (e.g., buying office supplies, equipment). It's about sourcing goods, whereas `收购` can be about acquiring entire companies.
  * [[买]] (mǎi) - To buy. The most common, everyday term. The opposite of `收购` in terms of formality and scale.
  * [[出售]] (chūshòu) - To sell, to offer for sale. The logical opposite of `收购`. One company `出售` itself, another `收购` it.
  * [[投资]] (tóuzī) - To invest. An investment can often be the first step towards a full acquisition.
  * [[控股]] (kònggǔ) - To hold a controlling stake. This is often the goal or result of a `收购`.
  * [[资产]] (zīchǎn) - Assets. The resources, property, and capital that are acquired during a `收购`.