接
to receive; to meet; to connect
jiē
What does 接 mean?
接 (jiē) is a versatile verb covering three related actions: 'to receive,' 'to pick up / meet,' and 'to connect.' First, 'to receive' — 接电话 (answer a phone call), 接到信 (receive a letter), 接客人 (receive a guest). Second, 'to pick up / meet someone arriving' — 我去机场接你 ('I'll go to the airport to pick you up'). This sense is essential in Chinese daily life: hosts always offer to 接 visitors at the train station or airport.
Third, 'to connect / join' — 接电线 (connect wires), 接下来 ('next, following'). All three senses share the underlying image of one thing meeting another: hand meets phone, host meets guest, wire meets wire. Unlike English 'pick up,' which implies grabbing, 接 emphasizes the welcoming or connecting gesture. The opposite of 接 in the 'pick up' sense is 送 (sòng, 'to see off') — a paired set Chinese hosts use constantly.
Note: Common in speech and writing. The compound
Character breakdown
to receive; to meet; to connect
Memory hook: 接 has the 扌 (hand) radical — you extend your hand to receive, meet, or connect. All three meanings start with hands reaching out.
Example sentences
请帮我接一下电话。
Qǐng bāng wǒ jiē yīxià diànhuà.
Please answer the phone for me.
spoken
我下午去机场接朋友。
Wǒ xiàwǔ qù jīchǎng jiē péngyou.
I'm going to the airport this afternoon to pick up a friend.
neutral
妈妈每天接孩子回家。
Māma měi tiān jiē háizi huí jiā.
Mom picks up the kids every day to bring them home.
spoken
我昨天接到了一封信。
Wǒ zuótiān jiē dào le yī fēng xìn.
I received a letter yesterday.
neutral
Common phrases with 接
Synonyms
收 ('to receive, to collect') focuses on the act of taking in or storing — 收信 (receive a letter), 收钱 (collect money). 接 emphasizes catching or meeting at the moment of arrival. 接电话 is answering the call live; 收到电话 is having received it.
迎接 ('to welcome, to receive formally') is more ceremonial — 迎接客人, 迎接新年. 接 is the everyday verb; 迎接 carries warmth and ritual.
Don't confuse 接 with
街 (jiē) means 'street.' Same pinyin and tone as 接, but written with the 行 (walking) radical wrapping around the middle. 接 has the 扌 hand radical.
结 (jié, second tone) means 'to tie, to knot, to bear (fruit).' Different tone and different right-side component. 接 (jiē, first tone) is receiving/connecting.
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