Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

to receive; to accept; to collect; in care of (used on address line after name)

Chinese: 收取、接受或收拢。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “shou” becomes a different word in each tone. 收 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 收到shōu dàoto receive
  • 收入shōu rùto take in; income; revenue
  • 收费shōu fèito charge a fee
  • 收看shōu kànto watch (a TV program)
  • 收音机shōu yīn jīradio

Example Sentence

请把桌上的书收好。Qǐng bǎ zhuō shàng de shū shōu hǎo.Please put away the books on the desk.

Qǐngto ask(marks the object)zhuōtableshàngondeofshūbookshōuto receivehǎogood

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

丩 (to bind) plus 攵 (an action): to gather and tie up — ‘to receive, accept; to collect, gather in; to harvest; to put away; to take in; to end’ (收到, 收入, 收拾).

A way to remember it

‘To receive / collect / harvest’: 收到, 收入.