收养

• Pinyin: shōu yǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 收 = to receive, take in; 养 = to raise, nurture — to adopt

Meaning

To adopt (a child); adoption. Legally taking a child into one's family and raising them as one's own.

A formal legal term for child adoption. The child becomes 养子 (adopted son) or 养女 (adopted daughter). Related terms: 收养家庭 (adoptive family), 被收养 (to be adopted), 收养手续 (adoption procedures). Distinguished from 领养 (which is more commonly used in Taiwan).

Examples

1. 他们夫妻决定收养一个孤儿。 The couple decided to adopt an orphan.
2. 收养孩子需要经过严格的审核程序。 Adopting a child requires going through a strict review process.
3. 她从小被一对善良的夫妇收养长大。 She was adopted and raised by a kind couple since childhood.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, family, social

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这对夫妇收养了三个孩子。(This couple adopted three children.)
• 收养协议已经签署完毕。(The adoption agreement has been signed.)

Don't Say

• 收养宠物不用'收养'而用'领养' (For adopting pets, use 领养 rather than 收养 — 收养 is specifically for children)

Origin & History

Compound of 收 (to receive, take in) + 养 (to raise, nurture). Together meaning to take in and raise a child.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal