收养 shōuyǎng to take in and care for
to take in and care for (an elderly person, a dog etc); to adopt (a child); adoption
How to remember 收养: 收 receive + 养 to raise = to take in and care for.
Characters
How it is used
- To adopt and raise a child, or take in and care for - 收养一个孤儿 (shōuyǎng yí ge gū'ér) adopt an orphan.
- The formal, legal term for taking someone (a child, an elderly person, even a stray) into one's care. Close to 领养 (lǐngyǎng).
Example sentences
- 我们收养了一个孩子。 Wǒmen shōuyǎng le yígè háizi.We adopted a child.
- 他们收养了那个小女孩。 Tāmen shōuyǎng le nàge xiǎonǚhái.They adopted the little girl.
- 我妻子想收养一个孩子。 Wǒ qīzǐ xiǎng shōuyǎng yígè háizi.My wife wants to adopt a child.