集合

• Pinyin: jí hé
• Hanzi breakdown: 集 = 隹 (bird) + 木 (tree) — birds gathering on a tree; 合 = 亼 (lid) + 口 (mouth) — mouths coming together, agreement

Meaning

To assemble; to gather; to rally. Bringing people together at a designated place and time.

Commonly used in school, military, sports, and group activity contexts where people need to physically come together. Also used in mathematics to mean 'set.' Common collocations include 集合地点 (assembly point), 准时集合 (assemble on time), and 全体集合 (everyone assemble).

Examples

1. 请大家明天早上八点在学校门口集合。 Please everyone gather at the school gate at eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
2. 教练让全体队员在操场上集合。 The coach told all team members to assemble on the sports field.
3. 导游说我们下午三点在大门口集合。 The tour guide said we should gather at the main entrance at three in the afternoon.

Usage Guide

Context: school, military, group activities, travel

Tone: commanding

Do Say

• 全班同学在操场集合。(The whole class assembles on the playground.)
• 我们几点集合出发？(What time do we assemble to depart?)

Don't Say

• 我和朋友集合吃饭 (Don't use 集合 for casual meetups with friends — use 见面 or 碰面; 集合 implies organized group assembly)

Origin & History

集 (to gather, flock together) + 合 (to combine, to join) — gathering and coming together as one.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal