Keywords: shou, shōu, 收, receive Chinese, collect Chinese, put away Chinese, shou definition, shou meaning, Chinese word for receive, tidy up Chinese, 收拾, 收入, 收到, harvest Chinese
Summary: The Chinese character 收 (shōu) is a fundamental and versatile verb that means “to receive,” “to collect,” or “to put away.” It's an action word used in countless daily situations, from receiving an email (收到邮件) and tidying your room (收拾房间) to collecting your income (收入) and finishing work for the day (收工). Understanding 收 is key to describing many basic actions related to gathering, organizing, and completing tasks in Mandarin Chinese.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): shōu
Part of Speech: Verb
HSK Level: HSK 2
Concise Definition: To receive, collect, gather, put away, or finish.
In a Nutshell: Think of 收 (shōu) as an action of “bringing things in” or “bringing things to a close.” It’s the physical act of gathering items scattered outside and bringing them into a consolidated, organized state. This could be collecting scattered toys and putting them in a box, gathering harvested crops from the field, or even collecting your thoughts to focus. It implies a transition from a state of being “out” to a state of being “in” or “complete.”
Character Breakdown
收 (shōu): This is a single character. Its structure gives clues to its meaning. It is composed of two parts:
丩 (jiū): On the left, this component originally depicted something tangled or entwined. It now primarily serves as the phonetic component, giving the character its “shou”-like sound.
攵 (pū): On the right, this is a common radical known as the “rap” or “tap” radical. It's derived from a picture of a hand holding a stick and signifies an action, often a forceful or deliberate one.
Combined Meaning: The character combines an action (攵) with the idea of something being gathered or untangled (丩). Together, they create the meaning of “to actively gather in,” “to collect,” or “to take control of.”
Cultural Context and Significance
Agrarian Roots: The concept of 收 is deeply tied to China's agrarian history. The most important act of the year for a farming society is the 收获 (shōuhuò), or harvest. This is the moment when the fruits of a long period of labor are finally gathered and brought in. This imbues the character 收 with a sense of completion, reward, and fulfillment after hard work.
Discipline and Focus: The term 收心 (shōu xīn), literally “to collect one's heart/mind,” is very common in Chinese culture, especially after a long holiday like the Spring Festival or National Day. It means to stop being in a relaxed, vacation mode and to gather your focus to return to work or study. This reflects a cultural value of discipline and the importance of transitioning properly between periods of rest and periods of labor.
Comparison to “Receive”: In English, “receive” can be quite passive. You “receive” a gift, often without taking any action. In contrast, 收 (shōu) feels more active. When you 收快递 (shōu kuàidì) (receive a package), you are the one performing the action of taking it from the delivery person and bringing it into your home. The focus is on your action of gathering it in.
Practical Usage in Modern China
Receiving Objects & Information: This is one of the most common uses.
收到 (shōudào): A resultative verb meaning “to have successfully received.” Used for packages, emails, letters, money, etc. (e.g., 我收到你的邮件了 - I received your email.)
Tidying Up & Organizing:
收拾 (shōushi): A very common compound verb meaning “to tidy up,” “to clean,” or “to pack.” (e.g., 我要收拾一下房间 - I need to tidy up the room a bit.)
收起来 (shōu qǐlái): “To put away.” (e.g., 把玩具收起来 - Put the toys away.)
Financial Contexts:
收入 (shōurù): Noun for “income” or “revenue.” (e.g., 他的月收入很高 - His monthly income is very high.)
收费 (shōufèi): “To charge a fee.” (e.g., 这个停车场怎么收费？ - How does this parking lot charge?)
收据 (shōujù): Noun for “receipt.” (e.g., 请给我一张收据 - Please give me a receipt.)
Ending or Finishing an Activity:
收工 (shōu gōng): “To finish work for the day.” A common phrase among manual laborers but also used colloquially in offices. (e.g., 太晚了，我们收工吧！ - It's too late, let's call it a day!)
收尾 (shōu wěi): “To wrap things up,” “to finish the last remaining details of a project.”
Example Sentences
Example 1:
我昨天收到了你的生日礼物，非常感谢！
Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān shōudào le nǐ de shēngrì lǐwù, fēicháng gǎnxiè!
English: I received your birthday gift yesterday, thank you so much!
Analysis: Here, `收到` is used to confirm the successful reception of a physical object. This is a very common and polite phrase.
English: After you finish eating, please take the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen.
Analysis: This usage shows the meaning of “to gather and put away.” The `把 (bǎ)` structure is often used with `收`.
Example 3:
妈妈每天都花一个小时收拾房间。
Pinyin: Māmā měitiān dōu huā yī ge xiǎoshí shōushi fángjiān.
English: Mom spends an hour tidying up the rooms every day.
Analysis: `收拾 (shōushi)` is a fixed-word combination meaning “to tidy up” or “to organize.” It's a key household chore vocabulary word.
Example 4:
我们公司今年的收入比去年增加了一倍。
Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī jīnnián de shōurù bǐ qùnián zēngjiā le yī bèi.
English: Our company's revenue this year has doubled compared to last year.
Analysis: `收入 (shōurù)` is used as a noun here, specifically in a financial or business context to mean “income” or “revenue.”
Example 5:
农民们正在地里收麦子。
Pinyin: Nóngmínmen zhèngzài dì lǐ shōu màizi.
English: The farmers are in the fields harvesting wheat.
Analysis: This example shows the original, agrarian meaning of `收`: to harvest or gather crops.
Example 6:
已经晚上十点了，我们收工回家吧。
Pinyin: Yǐjīng wǎnshàng shí diǎn le, wǒmen shōu gōng huíjiā ba.
English: It's already 10 PM, let's finish work and go home.
Analysis: `收工 (shōu gōng)` is a colloquial way to say “let's call it a day” or “finish work.”
Example 7:
这里停车是免费的，不收费。
Pinyin: Zhèlǐ tíngchē shì miǎnfèi de, bù shōufèi.
English: Parking here is free of charge, they don't charge a fee.
Analysis: `收费 (shōufèi)` is a verb-object phrase that means “to collect a fee.” Its opposite is `免费 (miǎnfèi)`.
Example 8:
假期结束了，我该收收心，好好工作了。
Pinyin: Jiàqī jiéshù le, wǒ gāi shōu shōu xīn, hǎohǎo gōngzuò le.
English: The holiday is over, I should focus my mind and get back to work.
Analysis: `收心 (shōu xīn)` is a metaphorical use, meaning to gather one's scattered, relaxed mind and refocus. Repeating the verb (`收收`) makes it more casual and gentle.
Example 9:
我喜欢收集不同国家的邮票。
Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuān shōují bùtóng guójiā de yóupiào.
English: I like to collect stamps from different countries.
Analysis: `收集 (shōují)` is a more formal term for collecting things as a hobby. It emphasizes the act of systematically gathering items.
Example 10:
付款后，请保管好您的收据。
Pinyin: Fùkuǎn hòu, qǐng bǎoguǎn hǎo nín de shōujù.
English: After payment, please keep your receipt in a safe place.
Analysis: `收据 (shōujù)` is a specific noun for a financial receipt, derived from the action of `收 (shōu)` (receiving money) and `据 (jù)` (evidence).
Nuances and Common Mistakes
收 (shōu) vs. 接 (jiē): This is the most common point of confusion for learners. Both can mean “to receive,” but they are not interchangeable.
Use 收 (shōu) for receiving things: emails, letters, packages, gifts, money.
Correct: 我收到了一个包裹。(Wǒ shōudào le yī ge bāoguǒ.) - I received a package.
Use 接 (jiē) for receiving people (picking them up), phone calls, or abstract connections.
Correct: 我去机场接你。(Wǒ qù jīchǎng jiē nǐ.) - I'll go to the airport to pick you up.
INCORRECT: 我去机场收你。 (This sounds like you're “collecting” the person like an object.)
Correct: 我没接到你的电话。(Wǒ méi jiēdào nǐ de diànhuà.) - I missed your call.
INCORRECT: 我没收到你的电话。
Using 收 for Taking Things: Do not confuse `收` with `拿 (ná)`. `拿` means “to take,” “to get,” or “to hold.” `收` implies putting something away or into long-term possession.
`拿` (ná): Can you get me a bottle of water? (你能帮我拿一瓶水吗？)
`收` (shōu): Please put away your books. (请把你的书收起来。)
Related Terms and Concepts
收到 (shōudào) - A resultative complement of `收`, meaning “to have successfully received.” It is more common than `收` alone when talking about receiving something.
收拾 (shōushi) - A very common compound verb meaning “to tidy up,” “to pack,” or sometimes “to deal with” a person.
收入 (shōurù) - A noun meaning “income” or “revenue.”
收获 (shōuhuò) - A noun or verb meaning “harvest,” “gains,” or “results.” Often used metaphorically for things learned.
收集 (shōují) - A verb meaning “to collect” or “to gather,” often used for hobbies or data collection.
接 (jiē) - A key verb to differentiate from `收`. It means “to pick up (a person),” “to answer (a call),” or “to connect.”
放 (fàng) - A common antonym for the “put away” sense of `收`. `放` means “to put,” “to place,” or “to release.” You `收` things in, and `放` things out.
发 (fā) - An antonym for the “receive” sense of `收`. `发` means “to send” (e.g., an email, a text message). You `发` an email, the other person `收`s the email.