HSK · Level 94
45 words
Chinese word
凑
Pronunciation
Pinyincòu
Meaning
- verbchip in
Example
大家一起凑点钱送他礼物。dà jiā yì qǐ còu diǎn qián sòng tā lǐ wù
Everyone chips in some money to give him a gift.
More examples
他到处凑零件，终于把机器修好了。tā dào chù còu líng jiàn zhōng yú bǎ jī qì xiū hǎo le
He gathered parts from all over and finally fixed the machine.
Core concept
Brings separate small contributions together until they form the needed amount or whole.
Common phrases
凑钱còu qián
scrape together money
凑齐còu qí
gather enough
凑合còu hé
make do
Similar words
募款mù kuǎn: Collect donations to provide money for a cause, group, or specific need.
集资jí zī: Pool capital to support a business venture, project, or organized activity.
筹钱chóu qián: Work to obtain enough money for a planned purpose.
拼凑pīn còu: Assemble an incomplete whole from whatever separate parts are available.
Definition in Chinese
把不足的部分补上，把若干小部分汇集成所需要的整体或数量。bǎ bù zú de bù fèn bǔ shàng bǎ ruò gān xiǎo bù fèn huì jí chéng suǒ xū yào de zhéng tǐ huò shù liàng
Word origin
凑 (còu, "to pool together") is linked to an older image of water gathering in one place, which developed into the idea of separate contributions joining to meet a need.
Usage tips
- In casual arrangements, it often appears before a small amount, especially when people are sharing a cost, so the pattern is common in everyday plans.