====== jùjí: 聚集 - To Gather, Assemble, Congregate ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** jùjí, 聚集, gather in Chinese, assemble in Chinese, Chinese word for congregate, juji meaning, how to use 聚集, learn Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5 verb, collect, concentrate.
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and usage of the essential Chinese word 聚集 (jùjí), which means to gather, assemble, or congregate. This comprehensive guide breaks down the characters, explores its cultural context, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Master this HSK 5 verb to describe how people, objects, and even abstract concepts like attention or wealth come together in one place.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jùjí
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To gather, assemble, or congregate in one place.
  * **In a Nutshell:** 聚集 (jùjí) describes the action or state of things or people coming together. Imagine a crowd forming to watch a street performance, birds flocking to a tree, or even dust collecting in a corner. It's a versatile word that captures the essence of multiple entities becoming a single group or collection, often spontaneously.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **聚 (jù):** This character means "to gather" or "assemble." It's composed of 取 (qǔ - to take) over three 人 (rén - people). You can think of it as "taking" many people and bringing them together.
  * **集 (jí):** This character also means "to gather" or "collect." It's a pictograph of a bird (隹) on a tree (木), vividly depicting birds gathering on a branch.
  * Together, 聚集 (jùjí) combines two characters with similar meanings to create a strong, clear, and slightly formal term for "to gather." The combination emphasizes both the action of bringing things together and the resulting state of being collected.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
While 聚集 is a common verb, its usage can reflect underlying cultural values. In Chinese culture, which often emphasizes collectivism and social harmony, the act of gathering is central to life. Family gatherings (家庭聚集) for festivals like the Spring Festival are not just parties but are vital for maintaining family bonds and showing filial piety.
This can be contrasted with more individualistic Western cultures, where a "gathering" is often seen as a purely social choice. In China, participation in certain gatherings can carry a sense of social obligation and duty.
Furthermore, the word takes on a very different, serious tone in the context of social order. An unauthorized gathering, especially a protest, is often labeled a "非法聚集" (fēifǎ jùjí - illegal assembly). This term is used by authorities and media with a strong negative connotation, reflecting a societal emphasis on stability and harmony over public expression of dissent. The same crowd could be described neutrally as "聚集" by an observer but negatively as "非法聚集" by the government.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
聚集 is a common word in both spoken and written Chinese, though it leans slightly more formal than its English equivalent "to gather." You'll frequently hear it in news reports, see it in articles, and use it in more descriptive conversations.
  * **Gathering of People:** This is the most common usage. It can be for any reason—a celebration, a protest, or simply waiting for a bus.
    * Connotation: Neutral by default. Can become negative if the gathering is disruptive or illegal (e.g., 聚集闹事 - to gather and cause trouble).
  * **Collection of Objects:** Used to describe things accumulating in one place.
    * Example: Dust, books, garbage.
  * **Concentration of Abstract Concepts:** It can be used figuratively for abstract things.
    * Example: Gathering attention, wealth, power, or focus. This is a common usage in business, media, and academic contexts.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 很多人**聚集**在广场上听音乐会。
    * Pinyin: Hěn duō rén **jùjí** zài guǎngchǎng shàng tīng yīnyuèhuì.
    * English: Many people gathered in the square to listen to the concert.
    * Analysis: A classic, neutral example of people gathering for a public event.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 春节期间，家人都会从各地回来**聚集**在一起。
    * Pinyin: Chūnjié qījiān, jiārén dōu huì cóng gèdì huílái **jùjí** zài yīqǐ.
    * English: During the Spring Festival, family members will all return from various places to gather together.
    * Analysis: This highlights the cultural importance of family gatherings (家庭聚集) in China.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 大家的目光都**聚集**在了新郎的身上。
    * Pinyin: Dàjiā de mùguāng dōu **jùjí** zài le xīnláng de shēnshang.
    * English: Everyone's gaze was focused (gathered) on the groom.
    * Analysis: A perfect example of 聚集 being used for an abstract concept—attention or "gaze" (目光).
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 警察警告示威者不要非法**聚集**。
    * Pinyin: Jǐngchá jǐnggào shìwēizhě búyào fēifǎ **jùjí**.
    * English: The police warned the protestors not to assemble illegally.
    * Analysis: This shows the serious, negative connotation the word can have in a legal or political context.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 暴风雨来临前，乌云在天空**聚集**。
    * Pinyin: Bàofēngyǔ láilín qián, wūyún zài tiānkōng **jùjí**.
    * English: Before the storm arrived, dark clouds gathered in the sky.
    * Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 聚集 for natural phenomena.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 这个城市**聚集**了来自世界各地的顶尖人才。
    * Pinyin: Zhège chéngshì **jùjí** le láizì shìjiè gèdì de dǐngjiān réncái.
    * English: This city has gathered top talent from all over the world.
    * Analysis: A common way to describe a city or hub as a center for something, in this case, talent.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 财富越来越**聚集**在少数人手中。
    * Pinyin: Cáifù yuèláiyuè **jùjí** zài shǎoshù rén shǒuzhōng.
    * English: Wealth is increasingly being concentrated (gathered) in the hands of a few.
    * Analysis: An economic/sociological use of the word for an abstract concept like wealth.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 房间的角落里**聚集**了很多灰尘。
    * Pinyin: Fángjiān de jiǎoluò lǐ **jùjí** le hěn duō huīchén.
    * English: A lot of dust has collected (gathered) in the corner of the room.
    * Analysis: A simple, everyday example of 聚集 used for inanimate objects.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 队长让士兵们在操场上**聚集**。
    * Pinyin: Duìzhǎng ràng shìbīngmen zài cāochǎng shàng **jùjí**.
    * English: The captain had the soldiers gather on the training ground.
    * Analysis: While [[集合]] (jíhé) is often better for a commanded assembly, 聚集 can also be used if the tone is slightly less of a direct order.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 为了这个项目，我们**聚集**了公司最好的资源。
    * Pinyin: Wèile zhège xiàngmù, wǒmen **jùjí** le gōngsī zuì hǎo de zīyuán.
    * English: For this project, we gathered the company's best resources.
    * Analysis: A business context showing the gathering of non-physical things like "resources" (资源).
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
A common point of confusion for learners is distinguishing 聚集 from similar-sounding words.
  * **聚集 (jùjí) vs. 集合 (jíhé):**
    * **聚集 (jùjí):** Tends to be spontaneous or a natural coming-together. A crowd forms on its own.
    * **集合 (jíhé):** Implies an organized assembly with a specific purpose, often following a command. It's what a tour guide, teacher, or drill sergeant says.
    * **Example:**
      * Correct: 游客们在故宫门口**集合**。 (Yóukèmen zài Gùgōng ménkǒu **jíhé**.) - The tourists **assembled** (as instructed) at the entrance of the Forbidden City.
      * Awkward: 游客们在故宫门口聚集。 (This sounds like they just randomly milled about there, rather than meeting for a tour.)
  * **聚集 (jùjí) vs. 聚会 (jùhuì):**
    * **聚集 (jùjí):** A verb. The *action* of gathering.
    * **聚会 (jùhuì):** A noun. The *event* of a gathering, like a party or get-together.
    * **Example:**
      * Correct: 我们这个周末有个**聚会**。 (Wǒmen zhège zhōumò yǒu ge **jùhuì**.) - We have a **party/get-together** this weekend.
      * Incorrect: 我们这个周末有个聚集。 (This is grammatically wrong; you cannot "have a gather".)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[集合]] (jíhé) - To assemble. Implies a command or specific purpose, more organized than 聚集.
  * [[聚会]] (jùhuì) - A party, get-together. The noun for the social event that results from gathering.
  * [[集中]] (jízhōng) - To concentrate, to focus, to centralize. Often used for abstract things like attention (集中注意力) or power (权力集中). It emphasizes a central point.
  * [[收集]] (shōují) - To collect (objects). More focused on the act of accumulating things like stamps, data, or information, rather than people assembling.
  * [[会合]] (huìhé) - To rendezvous, to meet up. Used when two or more separate parties plan to meet at a specific location.
  * [[团结]] (tuánjié) - To unite, be united in solidarity. Carries a strong positive meaning of coming together for a common cause.
  * [[人群]] (rénqún) - A crowd, a throng of people. The noun describing the group that has formed by 聚集.
  * [[分散]] (fēnsàn) - To scatter, to disperse. The direct antonym of 聚集.