shōucáng: 收藏 - To Collect, To Favorite, To Bookmark

• Keywords: shoucang meaning, 收藏, collect in Chinese, favorite in Chinese, bookmark in Chinese, shōucáng, what does shoucang mean, Chinese for collecting, Taobao favorite button, WeChat save article
• Summary: Discover the versatile Chinese word 收藏 (shōucáng), which means both the traditional act of “collecting” valuable items like art and stamps, and the modern digital action of “favoriting” a product on Taobao or “bookmarking” a useful webpage. This guide will teach you how to use 收藏 for your hobbies and your online life, making it an essential verb for any Mandarin learner.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shōucáng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To collect and store something of value; to favorite or bookmark something digitally.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 收藏 (shōucáng) as the action of gathering things you cherish and want to keep. It carries a sense of appreciation and value. Whether you're carefully placing a rare stamp in an album or clicking the star icon on a website to save it for later, you are performing the act of 收藏. It's about saving what matters to you.

• 收 (shōu): This character means “to receive,” “to gather,” or “to accept.” Imagine using your hand to gather items and bring them in.
• 藏 (cáng): This character means “to hide,” “to conceal,” or “to store.” The top part (艹) is the grass radical, and historically it was associated with hiding things, perhaps under vegetation or in a storehouse.
• When combined, 收 (shōu) + 藏 (cáng) creates a vivid picture: you “gather” (收) something and then you “store it away safely” (藏). This perfectly captures the essence of collecting things you value.

Historically, collecting (收藏) has been a highly respected pursuit in Chinese culture, often associated with scholars and the elite. Collecting items like calligraphy, paintings, porcelain, and rare books was not just a hobby but a sign of refinement, education, and appreciation for history and artistry. This differs from some Western collecting habits which might focus more on novelty or monetary value alone; traditional Chinese collecting is deeply tied to cultural heritage and scholarly taste. This ancient concept has been brilliantly adapted to the digital age. The “收藏” button is ubiquitous on Chinese websites and apps. When you 收藏 an article on WeChat, a video on Bilibili, or a product on Taobao, you're not just “saving” it. You're digitally performing the traditional act of curating a personal collection of valuable things. It's like putting a fascinating article on a special “to read later” shelf in your personal library. This modern usage bridges China's rich history with its hyper-digital present.

收藏 (shōucáng) is used in two main contexts today:

• Physical Hobbies: This is the traditional meaning. It's used when talking about collecting as a hobby.
  • `我喜欢收藏邮票。` (Wǒ xǐhuān shōucáng yóupiào.) - I like to collect stamps.
  • `他收藏了很多古董。` (Tā shōucángle hěnduō gǔdǒng.) - He has collected a lot of antiques.
• Digital Actions (Favoriting/Bookmarking): This is the most common usage you'll encounter daily. On almost any Chinese app or website, the button to save something for later is labeled 收藏. It's often represented by a star icon (⭐).
  • On E-commerce sites (Taobao, JD): You 收藏 an item to add it to your “favorites” list to buy later.
  • On Social Media/Content apps (WeChat, Weibo, Bilibili): You 收藏 an article, post, or video to save it. This is different from “liking” it (点赞 diǎnzàn) or “following” the creator (关注 guānzhù).
  • In Web Browsers: It's the equivalent of “bookmarking” a page.

• Example 1:
  • 我爷爷收藏了很多旧硬币。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yéye shōucángle hěnduō jiù yìngbì.
  • English: My grandfather has collected a lot of old coins.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using 收藏 for a physical hobby collection. It implies the coins are valuable to the grandfather, not just a pile of metal.
• Example 2:
  • 这篇文章很有用，我已经收藏了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān wénzhāng hěn yǒuyòng, wǒ yǐjīng shōucáng le.
  • English: This article is very useful, I've already saved/favorited it.
  • Analysis: A very common digital usage, likely referring to saving an article on an app like WeChat. The particle “了 (le)” indicates the action is complete.
• Example 3:
  • 你看到喜欢的衣服，可以先收藏起来，等打折再买。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kàndào xǐhuān de yīfú, kěyǐ xiān shōucáng qǐlái, děng dǎzhé zài mǎi.
  • English: If you see clothes you like, you can favorite them first, and then buy them when there's a discount.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly describes the strategy of using the “favorite” function on e-commerce sites like Taobao. “起来 (qǐlái)” is often added after 收藏 to emphasize the action of gathering and putting it away.
• Example 4:
  • 这个网站太棒了，我得把它收藏到我的浏览器里。
  • Pinyin: Zhège wǎngzhàn tài bàng le, wǒ děi bǎ tā shōucáng dào wǒ de liúlǎnqì lǐ.
  • English: This website is awesome, I have to bookmark it in my browser.
  • Analysis: Here, 收藏 is the direct equivalent of “to bookmark.” The 把 (bǎ) construction is used to bring the object (“it,” referring to the website) before the verb.
• Example 5:
  • 他的收藏品在一次火灾中全毁了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de shōucángpǐn zài yīcì huǒzāi zhōng quán huǐ le.
  • English: His collection was completely destroyed in a fire.
  • Analysis: Here, 收藏 is part of the noun 收藏品 (shōucángpǐn), which means “collected items” or “collection.”
• Example 6:
  • 别忘了收藏这个视频，我们下周讨论。
  • Pinyin: Bié wàngle shōucáng zhège shìpín, wǒmen xiàzhōu tǎolùn.
  • English: Don't forget to save/favorite this video, we'll discuss it next week.
  • Analysis: A common instruction among friends or colleagues, likely referring to a video on Bilibili or Douyin (TikTok).
• Example 7:
  • 这家博物馆收藏了许多珍贵的文物。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā bówùguǎn shōucángle xǔduō zhēnguì de wénwù.
  • English: This museum houses (collects) many precious cultural relics.
  • Analysis: This shows a more formal usage of 收藏, referring to the collection of an institution like a museum.
• Example 8:
  • 你收藏了多少淘宝商品？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shōucángle duōshǎo Táobǎo shāngpǐn?
  • English: How many Taobao items have you favorited?
  • Analysis: A direct question about one's digital habits. It's a casual and common thing to ask a friend.
• Example 9:
  • 他把这张旧照片收藏在钱包里。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ zhè zhāng jiù zhàopiàn shōucáng zài qiánbāo lǐ.
  • English: He treasures (collects/keeps) this old photo in his wallet.
  • Analysis: This example shows 收藏 being used for a single, sentimentally valuable item, not just a large collection. It highlights the meaning of “to treasure and keep safe.”
• Example 10:
  • 对于艺术家来说，每一件作品都值得收藏。
  • Pinyin: Duìyú yìshùjiā láishuō, měi yī jiàn zuòpǐn dōu zhídé shōucáng.
  • English: For an artist, every piece of work is worth collecting/treasuring.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses 收藏 in a more abstract, philosophical sense, speaking to the inherent value of art.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 收藏 (shōucáng) and 收集 (shōují).

• 收藏 (shōucáng): Implies value, appreciation, and curation. You collect things for a hobby, for their beauty, or for their usefulness. It's about personal selection.
  • Correct: 我收藏艺术品。(Wǒ shōucáng yìshùpǐn.) - I collect works of art.
  • Correct: 我把这个食谱收藏了。(Wǒ bǎ zhège shípǔ shōucáng le.) - I saved this recipe.
• 收集 (shōují): Means “to gather” or “to collect” in a more neutral, systematic, or objective way. It's often used for data, information, specimens, or simply gathering a bunch of things together without the same sense of personal value.
  • Correct: 我们需要收集用户数据。(Wǒmen xūyào shōují yònghù shùjù.) - We need to collect user data.
  • Correct: 他在公园里收集落叶。(Tā zài gōngyuán lǐ shōují luòyè.) - He is collecting fallen leaves in the park.
• Common Mistake:
  • Incorrect: `我需要收藏所有员工的意见。` (I need to collect all employees' opinions.)
  • Why it's wrong: Collecting opinions is a neutral act of gathering information, not treasuring them as a hobby.
  • Correct: `我需要收集所有员工的意见。` (Wǒ xūyào shōují suǒyǒu yuángōng de yìjiàn.)

“False Friends” with English “Collect”: Do not use 收藏 for actions like “collecting your kids from school.” For that, you use 接 (jiē).

• `我去学校接孩子。` (Wǒ qù xuéxiào jiē háizi.) - I'm going to school to pick up/collect the kids.

• 收集 (shōují) - To gather, to collect. The more neutral, systematic counterpart to 收藏.
• 保存 (bǎocún) - To preserve, to save. Often used for saving a computer file (`Ctrl+S`) or preserving food. It's about maintaining the current state of something.
• 点赞 (diǎnzàn) - To “like” (literally “point praise”). A quick, low-commitment digital action, different from the more deliberate act of 收藏.
• 关注 (guānzhù) - To “follow” a user or “subscribe” to a channel. This is about future updates from a creator, whereas 收藏 is about saving a specific piece of content.
• 集邮 (jíyóu) - To collect stamps. A specific and classic example of a 收藏 hobby.
• 古董 (gǔdǒng) - Antique(s). A type of item that people often 收藏.
• 博物馆 (bówùguǎn) - Museum. An institution whose entire purpose is to 收藏, preserve, and display items of cultural or scientific importance.
• 宝藏 (bǎozàng) - Treasure; a treasured collection. Something that is the result of or worthy of being 收藏.