蒐 (sōu) - To search for & to gather

蒐Tone 1

sōu ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

树檀

蒐 · sōu

To search for;

to gather;

to collect;

also refers to the madder plant (Rubia cordifolia) used for dye.

To search forto gatherto collect

Usage highlights

To search forTo collectTo gather materialsTo hunt forMadder plantTo search and capture

Synonyms

  • 搜— to search, to look for
  • 集— to collect, to gather
  • 寻— to seek, to look for

Antonyms

  • 散— to scatter, to disperse
  • 弃— to abandon, to discard

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He searched for rare books (蒐集 rare books).
  • The botanist studied the madder plant (茜草科植物).
  • They gathered information for the report (蒐集信息).
  • The museum collected ancient artifacts (蒐集文物).

Collocations

  • To search for(蒐寻)
  • To collect(蒐集)
  • To gather materials(蒐材)
  • To hunt for(蒐猎)
  • Madder plant(蒐草)
  • To search and capture(蒐捕)

Idioms

  • Searching high and low(旁蒐远绍)
  • Extensive collection(广蒐博采)
  • Thorough investigation(深蒐细究)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to the madder plant used to produce red dye in ancient China.
  • The character combines the plant radical (艹) with a component suggesting searching/gathering.
  • In classical texts, often used in the context of hunting, searching, and collecting rare items.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing imperial book collection projects.

FAQ