收购

• Pinyin: shōu gòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 收 = 攵 (tap) + 丩 (twist); 购 = 贝 (shell/money) + 勾 (hook)

Meaning

To acquire; to purchase (a company or goods in bulk); acquisition.

Commonly used in business contexts for corporate acquisitions and mergers. Also used for purchasing agricultural products or goods in bulk from suppliers. The subject is typically a company or organization buying from individuals or other companies.

Examples

1. 这家科技巨头收购了好几家初创公司。 This tech giant has acquired several startup companies.
2. 政府收购农民的粮食。 The government purchases grain from farmers.
3. 这次收购引起了市场的广泛关注。 This acquisition attracted widespread market attention.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, agriculture

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 收购价格是多少？(What's the acquisition price?)
• 公司被收购了。(The company was acquired.)

Don't Say

• 我去收购一些菜 — for personal grocery shopping, use 买 not 收购; 收购 implies bulk/business purchases

Origin & History

Compound of 收 (to collect/receive) + 购 (to purchase), meaning to purchase and collect.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal