Japanese word

採集

Pronunciation

Romajisaishū

Meaning

  • nouncollection

Example

山で植物の採集をします。yama de shoku butsu no sai shū o shi ma su

I collect plants in the mountains.

Illustration for 採集 (collection)

More examples

研究のために昆虫の採集をしています。ken kyū no ta me ni kon chū no sai shū o shi te i ma su

I collect insects for research.

Core concept

Focuses on collecting items found in nature rather than assembling things that are already available.

Common phrases

  • 昆虫採集kon chū sai shū

    insect collecting

  • 植物採集shoku butsu sai shū

    plant collecting

  • 野外採集ya gai sai shū

    field collection

Similar words

採取saishu: The act of obtaining plants, animals, or materials directly from their natural surroundings.
収集shūshū: The act of gathering items of a particular kind and keeping them together.

Definition in Japanese

山野などで植物や昆虫を探し出し、標本や研究のために集めること。san ya na do de shoku butsu ya kon chū o saga shi da shi hyō hon ya ken kyū no ta me ni atsu me ru ko to

Word origin

採 (sai, "pick") gives the sense of taking something, while 集 (shū, "gather") adds the sense of bringing items together.

Usage tips

  • 採集 (saishū) is commonly associated with fieldwork because the items are gathered at their natural location before they are studied or preserved.

Related words

  • 採集するsaishūsurucollectverb
  • 採集家saishūkacollectornoun
  • 採集品saishūhincollected itemnoun

Word lists with this word