收入

• Pinyin: shōu rù
• Hanzi breakdown: 收 = 丩 (gather) + 攵 (action), meaning 'to collect'; 入 = pictograph of entering, meaning 'to enter/come in'

Meaning

Income; earnings. Money received from work or investments.

Can function as both a noun (income/earnings) and a verb (to take in/earn). As a noun, it refers to money earned from employment, business, or investments. Common collocations include 月收入 (monthly income), 年收入 (annual income), and 收入水平 (income level). The opposite is 支出 (expenditure).

Examples

1. 他的收入不高。 His income is not high.
2. 这份工作的收入很不错。 The income from this job is quite good.
3. 她把一部分收入存进了银行。 She saved part of her income in the bank.

Usage Guide

Context: work, finance, economy

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你对自己的收入满意吗？(Are you satisfied with your income?)
• 他的收入比去年多了。(His income is more than last year.)

Don't Say

• 不要随便问别人的收入 (Don't casually ask about someone's income — in Chinese culture, asking about specific salary is considered impolite; use indirect expressions if needed)

Origin & History

收 (shōu, to receive/collect) + 入 (rù, to enter). Literally 'money received and coming in,' meaning earnings or income.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal