集 — Gather, Collect, Assemble

Meaning

Whether you are talking about collecting stamps or people gathering for a meeting, you will likely use the kanji 集しゅう. It centers on the idea of multiple entities—people, objects, or even data—coming together at a single point. This character is essential for N4 learners because it appears in common daily verbs as well as formal nouns. It covers everything from physical actions like picking up litter to abstract concepts like focusing your mind.

This kanji offers a clear visual story. It combines two parts: the top is 隹ふるとり (the radical for a short-tailed bird) and the bottom is 木き (tree). Ancient scripts originally showed several birds perching on a single branch. Just as birds naturally congregate in a tree to rest, humans and objects 'gather' for a shared purpose. Over time, those multiple birds were simplified into the single radical we see today.

With 12 strokes, this Grade 3 kanji requires a bit of balance. Be careful not to let the 隹ふるとり radical look too cramped above the tree base. In modern Japanese, this character connects simple household chores with complex professional fields like media editing and data analysis.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

The primary on'yomi is シュウ (shū). Use this reading for compound words (kango) that describe systematic gatherings or professional collections. You will see it in contexts ranging from school assemblies to garbage disposal schedules.

Example compounds include:

• 集中しゅうちゅう (shūchū) — Concentration; focusing on one point.
• 集合しゅうごう (shūgō) — Gathering or meeting; often used for a designated meeting time or place.
• 編集へんしゅう (henshū) — Editing or compilation, such as preparing a magazine or video.

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

The kun'yomi readings are mostly used for verbs. It is vital to master the transitive and intransitive pair, as they are used constantly in daily life.

集あつまる (atsumaru) is an intransitive verb meaning 'to gather' or 'to assemble.' This is used when the subjects themselves move together. For example: 'Fans gathered at the stadium.'

• 人ひとが集あつまる (hito ga atsumaru) — People gather.

集あつめる (atsumeru) is a transitive verb meaning 'to collect' or 'to bring things together.' Use this when you are the person doing the collecting, such as with a hobby or a task.

• 切手きってを集あつめる (kitte wo atsumeru) — To collect stamps.
• アンケートを集あつめる (ankēto wo atsumeru) — To collect surveys.

A third, more formal reading is 集つどう (tsudou). This appears in literature or formal news reports to describe people gathering for a specific social or noble cause.

Common Words & Compounds

The kanji 集しゅう forms the basis of many essential vocabulary words. Here are the most common ones grouped by usage:

Action and Daily Life:

• 収集しゅうしゅう (shūshū) — Collection (specifically for garbage or data).
• 集金しゅうきん (shūkin) — Collecting money or bills.
• 募集ぼしゅう (boshū) — Recruitment; you will see this on 'Help Wanted' signs.
• 集計しゅうけい (shūkei) — Tallying up or totaling results.

Media and Learning:

• 問題集もんだいしゅう (mondaishū) — A workbook or collection of practice problems.
• 詩集ししゅう (shishū) — An anthology of poetry.
• 全集ぜんしゅう (zenshū) — The complete works of an author.

Social Groups:

• 集会しゅうかい (shūkai) — A meeting or rally.
• 集団しゅうだん (shūdan) — A group or collective.
• 密集みっしゅう (misshū) — Crowded together or densely packed.

Example Sentences

Related Kanji

• 暑 — Hot (Weather), Heat (Kanji N4)
• 貸 — To lend, rent, or loan (Kanji N4)
• 赤 — Red (Kanji N4)
• 起 — Wake up, Rise, Happen (Kanji N4)
• 帰 — Return Home, Arrive At (Kanji N4)
• 夜 — Night, Evening (Kanji N4)

Memory Tip

To remember 集, visualize a single tree (木) in a park. Suddenly, a flock of birds (隹) swoops down to land on its branches. This 'birds on a tree' image makes it easy to remember the concept of a collection or a gathering. When you see those four horizontal strokes in the top half, think of them as the layers of feathers on birds as they huddle together for warmth!