verb HSK 5
shōu
to absorb · to assimilate · to take in

Meaning

吸收 means to absorb or take in something, whether physically (like nutrients, water, or light) or metaphorically (like knowledge, experience, or ideas). It can refer to biological absorption, learning and incorporating new information, or recruiting new members into an organization.

Usage

Commonly used in scientific, educational, and business contexts. Native speakers use it for physical processes (身体吸收营养 'the body absorbs nutrients'), learning (吸收知识 'absorb knowledge'), and organizational recruitment (吸收新成员 'recruit new members'). It's a formal-neutral word suitable for both written and spoken contexts.

Examples

  1. 01
    植物通过根部吸收水分和养分。
    Zhí tōng guò gēn shōu shuǐ fèn yǎng fèn.
    Plants absorb water and nutrients through their roots.
  2. 02
    我们要善于吸收别人的经验和教训。
    men yào shàn shōu bié rén de jīng yàn jiào xùn.
    We should be good at absorbing other people's experiences and lessons.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 吸收营养
    shōu yíng yǎng
    to absorb nutrients
  • 吸收知识
    shōu zhī shi
    to absorb knowledge
  • 吸收经验
    shōu jīng yàn
    to absorb experience
  • 吸收新成员
    shōu xīn chéng yuán
    to recruit new members

Antonyms

Origin

The word combines 吸 (to inhale/suck in) and 收 (to receive/collect), creating the meaning of drawing something in and retaining it.

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