jíhé: 集合 - To Assemble, Gather; A Set, Collection

• Keywords: jihe, 集合, Chinese for assemble, Chinese for gather, set theory in Chinese, Chinese word for collection, how to use jihe, jihe vs juji, HSK 4 vocabulary, Chinese group activities
• Summary: Learn the versatile Chinese word 集合 (jíhé), which means “to assemble,” “to gather,” or a “set/collection.” This guide explores its use in various contexts, from a teacher calling students to assemble in a schoolyard to its specific meaning as a “set” in mathematics. Understand its cultural connection to collectivism and learn to distinguish it from similar words like 聚集 (jùjí) and 见面 (jiànmiàn) through practical examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jí hé
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: To gather or assemble people for a specific purpose; a collection of items or a set in mathematics.
• In a Nutshell: 集合 (jíhé) is about organized gathering. It’s not a spontaneous “crowding around” but a planned assembly, usually called by a person in authority (a teacher, a tour guide, a manager). Think of a school assembly or a team huddle. As a noun, it refers to a complete collection or the mathematical concept of a “set.”

• 集 (jí): This character's ancient form shows birds (隹) on a tree (木). It vividly portrays the idea of birds gathering or flocking together on a branch. By itself, it means to gather, to collect, or a collection.
• 合 (hé): This character means to join, combine, close, or suit. Think of it as two parts (like a lid and a box) coming together to form a whole.

When combined, 集合 (jíhé) literally means “to gather and join.” This fusion of characters creates a strong sense of a group being brought together into a single, organized unit for a common purpose.

While 集合 (jíhé) is a functional word, its frequent use reflects the importance of the collective (集体, jítǐ) in Chinese culture. The act of “assembling” is a fundamental part of life in schools, companies, and even community activities. It reinforces group identity, discipline, and order. In a Western context, a call to “assemble” might sometimes be met with groans (e.g., a mandatory boring meeting). In China, responding to a call to 集合 is often an unquestioned, neutral-to-positive action that signifies efficiency and group cohesion. A teacher shouting “集合!” on the playground is a call to order and shared activity, a cornerstone of the structured school environment. This contrasts with the Western emphasis on individualistic freedom, where unscheduled group assembly can feel like an imposition. The word, therefore, carries a subtext of structure, purpose, and collective action that is deeply ingrained in the social fabric.

集合 is used in several distinct contexts, ranging from highly formal to conceptually abstract.

• As a Verb (To Assemble/Gather): This is its most common usage. It implies an organized gathering at a specific time and place, usually initiated by a leader.
  • School & Military: The quintessential use. Teachers, instructors, and officers use it as a command.
  • Tour Groups: Tour guides constantly use it to gather tourists before moving to the next location.
  • Workplace: Managers use it to call for team meetings or project huddles.
• As a Noun (A Set/Collection):
  • Mathematics: This is a very specific and important meaning. 集合 is the standard term for a “set” (e.g., a set of numbers).
  • A Curated Collection: It can refer to a complete collection of items, like an author's “collected works” (作品集合) or a musician's album compilation. For a personal hobby like stamp collecting, the word 收藏 (shōucáng) is more common for the *act* of collecting, while 集合 might describe the finished collection.

• Example 1:
  • 老师说我们下课后在操场集合。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī shuō wǒmen xiàkè hòu zài cāochǎng jíhé.
  • English: The teacher said we will assemble on the playground after class.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 集合 used in a school setting. It's a clear instruction from a person in authority.
• Example 2:
  • 导游要求所有游客早上八点在大厅集合。
  • Pinyin: Dǎoyóu yāoqiú suǒyǒu yóukè zǎoshang bā diǎn zài dàtīng jíhé.
  • English: The tour guide requires all tourists to gather in the lobby at 8 AM.
  • Analysis: This shows the word's use in organized activities like tourism. It implies a schedule and a purpose (starting the day's tour).
• Example 3:
  • 所有员工，请马上到会议室集合开会！
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu yuángōng, qǐng mǎshàng dào huìyìshì jíhé kāihuì!
  • English: All employees, please assemble in the conference room for a meeting immediately!
  • Analysis: A common and slightly urgent command in a workplace context.
• Example 4:
  • 我们的集合地点是公园的南门。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de jíhé diǎn shì gōngyuán de nánmén.
  • English: Our assembly point is the south gate of the park.
  • Analysis: Here, 集合 is used as a noun within the compound word 集合点 (jíhé diǎn), meaning “assembly point” or “meeting spot.”
• Example 5:
  • 军队在天亮前完成了集合。
  • Pinyin: Jūnduì zài tiānliàng qián wánchéngle jíhé.
  • English: The troops completed their assembly before dawn.
  • Analysis: This highlights the formal, disciplined connotation of 集合, especially in a military context.
• Example 6:
  • 在数学中，我们学习了关于集合的概念。
  • Pinyin: Zài shùxué zhōng, wǒmen xuéxíle guānyú jíhé de gàiniàn.
  • English: In mathematics, we learned about the concept of sets.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the specific, academic usage of 集合 as a noun for a mathematical “set.”
• Example 7:
  • 所有偶数的集合是无限的。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu ǒushù de jíhé shì wúxiàn de.
  • English: The set of all even numbers is infinite.
  • Analysis: Another clear mathematical example, showing 集合 used to define a specific group of elements.
• Example 8:
  • 这本书是作者短篇小说的集合。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū shì zuòzhě duǎnpiān xiǎoshuō de jíhé.
  • English: This book is a collection of the author's short stories.
  • Analysis: 集合 is used here as a noun to mean a curated “collection” or anthology of works.
• Example 9:
  • 如果发生火灾，请大家在指定的安全区集合。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ fāshēng huǒzāi, qǐng dàjiā zài zhǐdìng de ānquán qū jíhé.
  • English: If there is a fire, everyone please assemble in the designated safety area.
  • Analysis: This shows its use in emergency procedures, emphasizing order and safety.
• Example 10:
  • 我们集合了团队所有人的智慧才解决了这个问题。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jíhéle tuánduì suǒyǒu rén de zhìhuì cái jiějuéle zhège wèntí.
  • English: We gathered the wisdom of everyone on the team to finally solve this problem.
  • Analysis: A more abstract usage. Here, 集合 means to “pool” or “bring together” intangible things like wisdom or ideas.

• 集合 (jíhé) vs. 聚集 (jùjí): This is a critical distinction.
  • 集合 (jíhé) is organized and purposeful. It's a planned assembly, often called by a leader. (e.g., A teacher assembles students).
  • 聚集 (jùjí) is spontaneous and unorganized. It's a crowd forming on its own. (e.g., People gathering to watch a street performance).
  • Incorrect: 街上集合了很多人看热闹。(A lot of people *assembled* on the street to watch the excitement.) - This is wrong because the crowd formed spontaneously.
  • Correct: 街上聚集了很多人看热闹。
• 集合 (jíhé) vs. 见面 (jiànmiàn):
  • 集合 (jíhé) is for a group, often larger, with a formal purpose.
  • 见面 (jiànmiàn) is “to meet,” usually for one-on-one or small, informal encounters.
  • Incorrect: 我明天要和我的一个朋友集合。(I'm going to *assemble* with one of my friends tomorrow.) - This sounds comically formal, as if you are mobilizing a troop of one.
  • Correct: 我明天要和我的一个朋友见面。

• 聚集 (jùjí) - To congregate or gather spontaneously. The key contrast to the organized nature of 集合.
• 集中 (jízhōng) - To concentrate or focus (e.g., attention, resources). Shares the character 集 but refers to focus rather than physical assembly.
• 聚会 (jùhuì) - A party, a get-together. A social gathering, which is a type of assembly but much more informal than 集合.
• 开会 (kāihuì) - To hold a meeting. A very common and specific purpose for a 集合 in a business or formal setting.
• 集体 (jítǐ) - Collective; group. The noun for the entity that is often called to 集合. The concept of the collective is culturally linked to the action of 集合.
• 收集 (shōují) - To collect, gather (items, stamps, data). Focuses on the process of acquiring things, whereas 集合 can also be the resulting collection itself.
• 集合点 (jíhé diǎn) - Assembly point, meeting point. A fixed location for a planned gathering.
• 团队 (tuánduì) - A team. A type of group that would frequently be asked to 集合.