收 meaning and stroke order
To receive; to accept; to collect
How to write 收, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 收
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to receive
- to accept
- to collect
- to put away
- to restrain
- to stop
How 收 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
攵 gives the meaning and 丩 hints at the sound.
Radical: 攵 (to rap), shared by 36 characters on this site.
How to remember 收
收 (shōu) is pictophonetic: 丩 (jiū) on the left gives the sound, and 攵 on the right, a hand holding a stick, gives the meaning of action. Picture a hand reaching out to pull things in, gathering the harvest or collecting what is yours.
收 is a very common verb for receiving, collecting, or putting things away, and it appears in many everyday words like 收到 (shōudào) and 收入 (shōurù). For example: 我收到你的信了。(Wǒ shōudào nǐ de xìn le.) I received your letter.
Common mistake: Learners often say 收 alone when they mean "received" and forget the result complement 到, so they say 我收了你的邮件 instead of the more natural 我收到了你的邮件. Also keep the first tone high and flat; it is not shǒu like 手 (shǒu, hand).
Common words with 收
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 收到 | shōudào | to receive | HSK 2 |
| 收入 | shōurù | to take in; income | HSK 2 |
| 收音机 | shōuyīnjī | radio | HSK 3 |
| 收看 | shōukàn | to watch (a TV program) | HSK 3 |
| 收费 | shōufèi | to charge a fee | HSK 3 |
| 收听 | shōutīng | to listen to (a radio broadcast) | HSK 3 |
| 收回 | shōuhuí | to regain; to retake | HSK 4 |
| 收获 | shōuhuò | to harvest; to reap | HSK 4 |
| 吸收 | xīshōu | to absorb; to assimilate | HSK 4 |
| 收益 | shōuyì | earnings; profit | HSK 4 |
| 收拾 | shōushi | to put in order; to tidy up | HSK 5 |
| 收集 | shōují | to gather; to collect | HSK 5 |
| 回收 | huíshōu | to recycle; to reclaim | HSK 5 |
| 收购 | shōugòu | to purchase or acquire in bulk or at an official level (esp. by a state or organization); | HSK 5 |
收 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 收
How many strokes are in 收?
收 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 收 mean?
收 (shōu) means to receive; to accept; to collect. A common word with it is 收到 (shōudào), meaning "to receive".
How do you pronounce 收?
收 is pronounced shōu, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 收?
The radical of 收 is 攵, which carries the idea of "to rap". Dictionaries list 收 under this radical.
Is 收 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 收 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 收 and 接 when receiving something?
收 focuses on getting and keeping something, like 收到 a letter or 收礼物 a gift. 接 focuses on the act of catching or meeting, like 接电话 (jiē diànhuà, answer the phone) or 接人 (pick someone up).
How do I say "tidy up" or "put away" with 收?
Use 收拾 (shōushi), as in 收拾房间 (shōushi fángjiān), to tidy the room. You can also say 把东西收起来 (bǎ dōngxi shōu qǐlái), put the things away.