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收拾房间

A2 verb 8 min read

收拾房间

shōushí fángjiān

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 收拾房间 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 收拾房间 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '收拾房间' (shōushi fángjiān) is introduced as a basic daily routine phrase. Students learn it as a single unit meaning 'to tidy the room'. The focus is on simple Subject + Verb + Object sentences. For example, '我收拾房间' (I tidy the room). At this stage, you don't need to worry about the complex 'Ba' construction or resultative complements. You just need to know that '收拾' is the action and '房间' is the place. It's a key phrase for describing your day. Learners should practice saying it with frequency adverbs like '每天' (every day) or '常常' (often). The goal is to be able to tell someone that you perform this task as part of your normal life. You might also learn it in the context of 'wanting' to do something: '我想收拾房间' (I want to tidy the room). This level is all about building the foundation of the vocabulary word and recognizing its characters.

At the A2 level, you begin to use '收拾房间' in more varied contexts, such as expressing necessity or future plans. You will learn to use auxiliary verbs like '要' (yào - need to/will) and '应该' (yīnggāi - should). For example, '我下午要收拾房间' (I need to tidy the room this afternoon). You also start to learn about the '一下' (yīxià) construction, which softens the tone: '收拾一下房间' (tidy the room a bit). This makes your Chinese sound more polite and natural. You'll also be introduced to simple time durations, though they might still be challenging. The A2 learner should be able to understand a request from a roommate or parent to tidy up and respond appropriately. You are moving from just 'naming' the action to 'discussing' the action in terms of when, why, and how often it happens. You also learn to distinguish it from '打扫' (cleaning/sweeping).

By B1, the grammar surrounding '收拾房间' becomes more sophisticated. This is where the '把' (bǎ) construction is heavily emphasized. Instead of '我收拾房间', a B1 student is expected to say '我把房间收拾好了' (I have tidied up the room). The use of '好' (hǎo) or '干净' (gānjìng) as resultative complements is crucial here; it shows that the action reached a successful conclusion. You will also learn to use '收拾' for other objects, like '收拾行李' (to pack luggage). B1 learners should also be comfortable using the verb in different tenses and aspects, such as using '正在' (zhèngzài) for continuous action: '我正在收拾房间呢，等一下再打电话' (I am tidying the room right now, call back in a bit). You are now able to describe the process and the result of the tidying, not just the fact that it occurred. You can also handle more complex time phrases and frequency words like '偶尔' (occasionally) or '总是' (always).

At the B2 level, '收拾' begins to take on more abstract and idiomatic meanings. While '收拾房间' remains the primary physical meaning, you learn that '收拾' can also mean to 'fix' a situation or even to 'punish/teach someone a lesson' in a colloquial sense (e.g., '等我回来收拾你！' - Wait until I get back to deal with/punish you!). B2 learners should be able to use the phrase in complex sentences with conjunctions like '虽然...但是...' (Although... but...) or '不仅...而且...' (Not only... but also...). For example: '虽然我很累，但我还是得把房间收拾干净' (Although I am tired, I still must tidy the room clean). You also start to understand the nuance between '收拾' and '整理' (to organize/sort) in professional or academic contexts. Your ability to use resultative and potential complements (like '收拾得完' - can finish tidying) becomes much more fluid. You can discuss the social implications of cleanliness and organization in Chinese society.

At the C1 level, '收拾房间' is used with complete native-like fluency, and the learner understands the deep cultural connotations of the act. You might encounter the phrase in literature or sophisticated essays where tidying a room is a metaphor for 'cleaning up one's life' or 'sorting out one's thoughts'. C1 learners can use '收拾' in its most colloquial and regional forms. You understand the 'separable' nature of the verb in poetic or highly stylized speech. You can also discuss the etymology of the characters—how '收' and '拾' both relate to the hands and the act of gathering—and how this reflects a broader Chinese philosophy of order (秩序). At this level, you don't just 'use' the phrase; you 'play' with it, using it in jokes, ironies, or to describe complex emotional states where one feels the need to 'tidy up' their relationships or career. Your usage of the '把' construction is flawless, and you can incorporate complex adverbial modifiers to describe the manner of tidying (e.g., '极其认真地收拾房间').

At the C2 level, '收拾房间' is a simple building block in a much larger linguistic repertoire. You possess an instinctive feel for when to use '收拾' versus its dozens of synonyms (like 整理, 打扫, 翻新, 维护). You can appreciate the use of the term in historical texts or as part of complex idioms and 'chengyu'. A C2 speaker might use the concept of '收拾' to discuss political 'clean-ups' or the 'tidying' of a nation's economy. You can engage in deep cultural debates about the 'Minimalist' movement in China vs. traditional views on 'filling a room with fortune'. The phrase is no longer a 'vocabulary item' to be studied, but a transparent tool for communication. You can detect the slightest bit of sarcasm if someone says '你可真会收拾房间啊' (You really know how to tidy a room, don't you?) when the room is actually a mess. Your mastery includes the ability to use the phrase in any register, from the most formal legalistic 'tidying of assets' to the most informal street slang.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

收拾房间 in 30 Seconds

A common Chinese phrase for 'to tidy up the room', focusing on organization and putting things away.
Used frequently in daily life, especially by parents or roommates to maintain a clean living space.
Grammatically versatile, often used with the 'Ba' construction to show the result of the tidying action.
Essential vocabulary for A2-level learners describing housework, daily routines, or preparing for social visits.

The phrase 收拾房间 (shōushi fángjiān) is a fundamental verb-object construction in Mandarin Chinese that every learner should master early on. At its core, it translates to 'to tidy up the room' or 'to clean the room'. However, the linguistic depth of the word 收拾 goes far beyond simple cleaning. The character 收 (shōu) means to collect, gather, or receive, while 拾 (shí) means to pick up or to gather from the ground. Together, they form a functional verb that implies bringing order to chaos by gathering scattered items and putting them in their proper places.

The Literal Breakdown: The first part, 收拾, is a versatile verb. While here it means tidying, in other contexts it can mean to pack luggage or even to 'fix' or 'punish' someone in a colloquial sense. The second part, 房间, literally means 'room-space', referring to any partitioned area in a building.
Everyday Scenarios: You will hear this most often in domestic settings. A mother might tell her child to 收拾房间 before dinner, or a roommate might suggest it before guests arrive. It focuses more on the organization of items—putting books on shelves, clothes in the closet—rather than the deep scrubbing associated with heavy cleaning.

妈妈让我每天早上都收拾房间，但我总是很懒。
(Mom makes me tidy my room every morning, but I am always very lazy.)

When you use this phrase, you are usually talking about a general action. If you want to emphasize the result—that the room is now clean—you would use a resultative complement like 收拾干净 (shōushi gānjìng). The verb is also separable in some advanced grammatical structures, but for most A2-B1 learners, treating it as a fixed phrase is the most effective way to communicate clearly. Whether you are living in a dormitory in Beijing or a house in London, the act of 收拾房间 remains a universal human experience, and knowing how to express it in Chinese allows you to participate in daily life conversations with native speakers naturally.

Comparison with '整理' (zhěnglǐ): While 收拾 is more colloquial and general, 整理 is often more formal and implies a systematic organization. You 收拾 a messy bedroom, but you might 整理 your library or a complex filing system. For beginners, 收拾 is the safer, more common choice for housework.

Mastering the usage of 收拾房间 involves understanding its place within common Chinese sentence structures, particularly the 'Ba' (把) construction and resultative complements. Because tidying a room results in a change of state for the room, it is a perfect candidate for the 把 structure, which is used to describe how an object is handled or disposed of.

请把你自己的房间收拾好。
(Please tidy up your own room.)

Note the use of '好' as a resultative complement meaning 'well' or 'finished'.

In basic sentences, you can simply use Subject + Verb + Object. For example: “我每天都收拾房间” (I tidy my room every day). However, to sound more native, learners should experiment with aspect particles like 了 (le) to indicate completion. If you just finished the task, you would say: “我收拾好房间了”. Notice how 好 is placed between the verb and the object here to show that the action was performed to a satisfactory standard.

Common Sentence Patterns

正在 (zhèngzài): 我正在收拾房间。(I am currently tidying the room.)
要 (yào): 你应该去收拾房间。(You should go tidy the room.)
一下 (yīxià): 我得收拾一下房间。(I need to tidy up the room a bit.)

Another advanced way to use this phrase is with duration. If you want to say how long you spent tidying, the structure changes: “我收拾房间收拾了一个小时” (I tidied the room for an hour). Here, the verb 收拾 is repeated because Chinese verbs cannot take both an object and a duration directly. This repetition emphasizes the process of the action. By practicing these variations, you move from simple 'textbook' Chinese to a more fluid, expressive style that mirrors how native speakers actually communicate their daily routines.

The phrase 收拾房间 is ubiquitous in Chinese-speaking environments, appearing in everything from casual family dialogues to professional hospitality settings. Understanding the context of where you hear it helps you grasp the social expectations tied to the phrase. In a Chinese household, 收拾房间 is often the first chore children are taught, making it a staple of 'parent-talk'.

“客人快到了，赶紧把房间收拾一下！”
(The guests are almost here, hurry up and tidy the room a bit!)

In a professional context, such as a hotel or a shared rental, you might hear staff or landlords use it. While hotels usually use the more formal 打扫 (dǎsǎo - to sweep/clean), 收拾 is used when referring to the guest's belongings. If a housekeeper asks, “需要我帮你收拾房间吗？”, they are often asking if you want your personal items organized or the bed made, rather than just vacuuming the floor.

Media and Pop Culture: In Chinese TV dramas (C-dramas), particularly family or 'slice of life' genres, this phrase is a frequent trigger for conflict or bonding. A messy room often symbolizes a character's chaotic life, and the act of another character helping them 收拾房间 can be a profound sign of care, intimacy, or intervention.

Furthermore, if you are living in a dormitory (宿舍 - sùshè) in China, you will hear this during 'inspection' days. Universities often have strict standards for cleanliness, and the phrase 收拾房间 will be heard frequently as students scramble to hide their laundry and organize their desks before the dorm supervisor arrives. It is a phrase that bridges the gap between the private domestic sphere and the public social sphere, representing the transition from a 'private mess' to a 'publicly acceptable' space.

Even though 收拾房间 is a common phrase, learners frequently stumble over specific grammatical nuances and word choices. The most frequent error involves the confusion between 收拾 (shōushi), 打扫 (dǎsǎo), and 整理 (zhěnglǐ). While English uses 'clean' or 'tidy' interchangeably, Chinese is more specific about the method of cleaning.

Mistake 1: Using '收拾' for Deep Cleaning: If you are mopping floors or scrubbing a toilet, 收拾房间 is not the right term. You should use 打扫 (dǎsǎo). 收拾 is about organization—picking up clothes, putting toys away. Using 收拾 when the room is actually dirty (dusty/muddy) sounds slightly 'off' to native ears.
Mistake 2: Incorrect Placement of '了' (le): Learners often say “我收拾房间了了一个小时” or “我收拾了房间好”. The correct way to express completion is “我收拾好房间了”. The resultative complement 好 must come immediately after the verb 收拾.

❌ Incorrect: 我在收拾房间三十分钟。
✅ Correct: 我收拾房间收拾了三十分钟。
(Duration requires verb repetition or a specific structure.)

Another mistake involves the tone of the word 收拾. While the standard tone is shōu shí (first and second), in actual conversation, the shí often becomes a neutral tone (shōushi). Learners who over-emphasize the second tone can sound a bit robotic. Finally, remember that 房间 is the object. You cannot say “我房间收拾” without the 把 particle or a clear context of 'as for the room, I tidied it'. Keeping these structural rules in mind will prevent your Chinese from sounding like a direct translation from English.

To truly enrich your Chinese vocabulary, you need to understand the family of words related to cleaning and organizing. 收拾房间 is your 'go-to' phrase, but depending on the situation, several alternatives might be more precise.

整理 (zhěnglǐ): This means 'to arrange' or 'to put in order'. It is more systematic than 收拾. Use this when you are organizing a bookshelf, a desk, or your thoughts. It implies a logical order rather than just clearing a mess.
打扫 (dǎsǎo): This literally means 'to hit and sweep'. It refers to cleaning that involves removing dirt, dust, or trash. If you are using a broom or a vacuum, you are 打扫-ing.
弄干净 (nòng gānjìng): A very colloquial way to say 'make it clean'. It is less about the action of tidying and more about the final result of cleanliness.

Comparison Chart:
• 收拾: Focus on organization/tidying (Bedroom).
• 打扫: Focus on dirt removal (Kitchen floor).
• 整理: Focus on logic/order (Documents).

In more specific contexts, you might use 清扫 (qīngsǎo) for a 'thorough cleaning' or 'clear out', often used for public spaces or after a big event. For laundry specifically, you would use 洗衣服 (xǐ yīfu). If you are just 'wiping' a surface, the verb is 擦 (cā), as in 擦桌子 (cā zhuōzi - wipe the table). Knowing these distinctions allows you to describe your household chores with the precision of a native speaker. For instance, you might say: “我先收拾了房间，然后打扫了地板” (I first tidied the room, then I swept the floor). This demonstrates a high level of linguistic control and situational awareness.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient times, '收拾' was often used in the context of gathering the remains of the deceased or packing for a long journey. Today, its most common use is the mundane task of tidying a room.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈʃoʊʃiː fɑːŋˈdʒjɛn/

US /ˈʃoʊʃi fɑŋˈdʒjɛn/

Primary stress is on 'shōu' and 'fáng'.

Rhymes With

收 (shōu) rhymes with 抽 (chōu), 丢 (diū - approximate). 拾 (shí) rhymes with 十 (shí), 实 (shí). 房 (fáng) rhymes with 忙 (máng), 糖 (táng). 间 (jiān) rhymes with 天 (tiān), 山 (shān).

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'shi' in 'shōushi' with a full 2nd tone instead of a neutral tone.
Mixing up 'sh' and 's' sounds (should be 'sh' for both characters in shōushi).
Failing to rise enough on 'fáng'.
Pronouncing 'jiān' as 'jin'.
Over-stressing the object '房间' instead of the verb.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Characters are common but '收拾' has many strokes. '房间' is very basic.

Writing 3/5

Writing '收拾' correctly requires attention to the hand radical and stroke order.

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward, but neutral tone on 'shi' is key for naturalness.

Listening 2/5

Easily recognized in context of home or chores.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

我家大小好

Learn Next

打扫整理干净脏把

Advanced

断舍离井井有条尘封焕然一新琐碎

Grammar to Know

The 'Ba' (把) Construction

我把房间收拾好了。

Resultative Complements (好, 干净)

收拾干净。

Verb Reduplication (AABB or ABAB)

收拾收拾房间。

Duration of Action

收拾了一个小时房间。

The 'De' (得) Manner Complement

他收拾得很快。

Examples by Level

我收拾房间。

I tidy the room.

Simple Subject + Verb + Object.

他不收拾房间。

He does not tidy the room.

Use '不' for negation in the present.

你要收拾房间吗？

Do you want to tidy the room?

Question with '吗'.

我每天收拾房间。

I tidy the room every day.

Time word '每天' before the verb.

妈妈收拾房间。

Mom tidies the room.

Simple SVO.

房间很大，我要收拾。

The room is big, I need to tidy (it).

Topic-comment structure.

我们一起收拾房间吧。

Let's tidy the room together.

Suggestion particle '吧'.

他在收拾房间。

He is tidying the room.

Continuous action with '在'.

我下午想收拾房间。

I want to tidy the room this afternoon.

Auxiliary verb '想'.

你必须收拾房间了。

You must tidy the room now.

Use of '必须' and '了' for change of state.

收拾房间很累。

Tidying the room is very tiring.

The phrase acts as the subject.

我收拾房间收拾得很快。

I tidy the room very quickly.

Verb repetition with '得' for manner.

请收拾一下你的房间。

Please tidy up your room a bit.

Use of '一下' to soften the request.

我不喜欢收拾房间。

I don't like tidying the room.

Negative preference.

他在收拾谁的房间？

Whose room is he tidying?

Possessive '谁的'.

收拾房间以后，我们可以出去玩。

After tidying the room, we can go out to play.

Time clause with '以后'.

我还没把房间收拾好呢。

I haven't finished tidying the room yet.

Negative '把' construction with resultative '好'.

如果你不收拾房间，就不能看电视。

If you don't tidy the room, you can't watch TV.

Conditional '如果...就...'.

我花了两个小时收拾房间。

I spent two hours tidying the room.

Structure: 花了 + time + action.

房间收拾干净了，真舒服。

The room is tidied clean, it feels great.

Resultative complement '干净'.

他正在收拾房间，没听到电话。

He was tidying the room and didn't hear the phone.

Ongoing action as a reason.

你应该自己收拾房间，不要总是依赖妈妈。

You should tidy the room yourself, don't always rely on mom.

Adverb '自己' (self).

每次我收拾房间，都会发现丢了的东西。

Every time I tidy the room, I find lost things.

Structure '每次...都...'.

她一边听音乐，一边收拾房间。

She tidies the room while listening to music.

Simultaneous actions '一边...一边...'.

要把这么乱的房间收拾好，得花不少功夫。

To tidy such a messy room will take a lot of effort.

Use of '得' (děi - must/take).

既然你已经收拾好房间了，那就休息吧。

Since you've already tidied the room, then rest.

Conjunction '既然...那就...'.

他把房间收拾得井井有条。

He tidied the room so that everything is in perfect order.

Four-character idiom '井井有条' as a complement.

收拾房间不仅是体力活，也是心理上的整理。

Tidying a room is not just physical labor, but also a psychological organizing.

Correlative '不仅...也是...'.

我打算在搬家前彻底收拾一下房间。

I plan to thoroughly tidy the room before moving.

Adverb '彻底' (thoroughly).

哪怕再忙，他也会抽出时间收拾房间。

No matter how busy he is, he will find time to tidy the room.

Concession '哪怕...也...'.

房间收拾得怎么样了？

How is the room tidying going?

Complement of state with '怎么样'.

别管我，你先去收拾你自己的房间吧。

Don't mind me, you go tidy your own room first.

Imperative '别管'.

对他而言，收拾房间是一种缓解压力的方式。

For him, tidying the room is a way to relieve stress.

Structure '对...而言' (As far as ... is concerned).

她把房间收拾得一尘不染，简直像个博物馆。

She tidied the room so it's spotless; it's practically like a museum.

Idiom '一尘不染' (spotless).

在收拾房间的过程中，他回忆起了童年的往事。

In the process of tidying the room, he recalled past events from childhood.

Structure '在...的过程中' (In the process of...).

与其说是在收拾房间，不如说是在收拾心情。

It's not so much tidying the room as it is tidying one's mood.

Structure '与其说是...不如说是...'.

他习惯于在动笔写作前先收拾一下房间。

He is accustomed to tidying the room before he starts writing.

Verb '习惯于' (be accustomed to).

房间的凌乱程度反映出他已经很久没收拾了。

The level of mess in the room reflects that he hasn't tidied for a long time.

Noun '程度' (degree/level).

除非你帮我，否则我一个人收拾不完这间房。

Unless you help me, otherwise I can't finish tidying this room alone.

Potential complement '收拾不完'.

他一边抱怨着繁琐的家务，一边却又精心地收拾着房间。

While complaining about the tedious housework, he was nevertheless meticulously tidying the room.

Adverb '精心' (meticulously).

收拾房间固然琐碎，却能给人带来某种秩序感。

Tidying a room is admittedly trivial, yet it can bring a sense of order.

Conjunction '固然...却...' (Admittedly... yet...).

这种“断舍离”的收拾房间方式在都市年轻人中颇为流行。

This 'Dan-sha-ri' (decluttering) way of tidying rooms is quite popular among urban youth.

Noun phrase '断舍离' (Japanese concept of minimalism).

他似乎想通过收拾房间来掩饰内心的不安。

He seemed to want to disguise his inner unease by tidying the room.

Verb '掩饰' (to disguise/cover up).

收拾房间不仅仅是空间的腾挪，更是对生活态度的审视。

Tidying a room is not just the shifting of space, but also an examination of one's attitude toward life.

Literary structure '不仅仅是...更是...'.

无论世事如何变迁，她始终保持着每天亲自收拾房间的习惯。

No matter how the world changes, she has always maintained the habit of tidying her room personally every day.

Structure '无论...始终...'.

他将收拾房间视为一种冥想，在重复的动作中寻找宁静。

He regards tidying the room as a form of meditation, seeking tranquility in repetitive movements.

Structure '将...视为...' (Regard ... as ...).

在那些被遗忘的角落里，收拾房间往往能勾起尘封的记忆。

In those forgotten corners, tidying the room often evokes long-buried memories.

Metaphorical language '尘封' (dust-sealed).

哪怕是再小的房间，只要用心收拾，也能散发出温馨的气息。

Even the smallest room, as long as it is tidied with heart, can exude a warm atmosphere.

Structure '只要...也...'.

Common Collocations

赶紧收拾房间

帮我收拾房间

把房间收拾好

正在收拾房间

定期收拾房间

独自收拾房间

彻底收拾房间

开始收拾房间

懒得收拾房间

重新收拾房间

Common Phrases

收拾一下

— To tidy up a bit. Very common way to soften the verb.

房间太乱了，你应该收拾一下。

收拾得干干净净

— To tidy up extremely clean. Uses duplication for emphasis.

他把房间收拾得干干净净。

收拾残局

— To clean up a mess (often metaphorical, like a failed plan).

会议失败了，他得去收拾残局。

收拾书桌

— To tidy the desk specifically.

做作业前先收拾书桌。

收拾床铺

— To make the bed or tidy the bedding.

起床后要记得收拾床铺。

收拾厨房

— To tidy the kitchen.

晚饭后，爸爸在收拾厨房。

收拾客厅

— To tidy the living room.

我们在客厅看电视，然后收拾客厅。

收拾行李箱

— To pack or organize a suitcase.

我还没收拾行李箱呢。

别收拾了

— Stop tidying (it's enough or not needed).

别收拾了，快来吃饭吧。

收拾妥当

— To have everything tidied up properly.

一切都收拾妥当了。

Often Confused With

收拾房间 vs 打扫

Focuses on cleaning dirt/dust, while 收拾 focuses on tidying items.

收拾房间 vs 整理

More formal and implies a logical sorting or system.

收拾房间 vs 修理

Means to 'repair' something broken, though 收拾 can colloquially mean 'fix' a person.

Idioms & Expressions

"井井有条"

— In perfect order. Often used to describe a room after it's been tidied.

她把房间收拾得井井有条。

Formal/Literary

"乱七八糟"

— In a total mess. The state before you '收拾房间'.

你的房间乱七八糟的，快去收拾！

Colloquial

"一尘不染"

— Spotless; not a speck of dust. The ideal result of cleaning.

房间被收拾得一尘不染。

Literary

"焕然一新"

— To take on a completely new look. Used after a big cleanup.

收拾完后，房间焕然一新。

Neutral

"干干净净"

— Clean and tidy (duplicated for emphasis).

房间要收拾得干干净净的。

Colloquial

"窗明几净"

— Bright windows and clean tables. Describes a very clean room.

收拾后的教室窗明几净。

Literary

"杂乱无章"

— Disordered and unsystematic.

书架上杂乱无章，需要收拾。

Formal

"收拾人心"

— To win over people's hearts (metaphorical use of '收拾').

新经理正在努力收拾人心。

Abstract

"一塌糊涂"

— A complete mess/shambles.

房间乱得一塌糊涂。

Colloquial

"有条不紊"

— Regular and thorough; methodical.

他有条不紊地收拾着房间。

Formal

Easily Confused

收拾房间 vs 打扫

Both involve making a room look better.

打扫 uses brooms/mops for dirt; 收拾 uses hands for objects.

我打扫了地板，然后收拾了房间。

收拾房间 vs 整理

Both involve organization.

整理 is more meticulous and formal (like a library).

他在整理他的集邮册。

收拾房间 vs 搬家

Both involve moving things in a room.

搬家 is moving to a new home; 收拾 is just tidying the current one.

搬家前要收拾房间。

收拾房间 vs 清扫

Similar characters.

清扫 is a more thorough, often public cleaning.

志愿者在清扫街道。

收拾房间 vs 布置

Both change a room's look.

布置 is decorating; 收拾 is tidying mess.

她把房间布置得很温馨。

Sentence Patterns

S + V + O

我收拾房间。

S + 想/要 + V + O

我要收拾房间。

S + V + 一下 + O

我收拾一下房间。

S + 把 + O + V + complement

我把房间收拾好了。

S + 正在 + V + O

我正在收拾房间。

S + V + O + V + 了 + Duration

我收拾房间收拾了半天。

与其说是...不如说是...

与其说是在收拾房间，不如说是在收拾心情。

S + 将 + O + 视为...

他将收拾房间视为一种艺术。

Word Family

Nouns

房间 (room)

屋子 (house/room)

行李 (luggage)

杂物 (clutter)

Verbs

收拾 (to tidy)

打扫 (to clean)

整理 (to organize)

清理 (to clear out)

Adjectives

整洁 (tidy)

干净 (clean)

凌乱 (messy)

乱 (chaotic)

家务 (housework)

扫帚 (broom)

抹布 (rag)

垃圾桶 (trash can)

吸尘器 (vacuum)

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in daily domestic life.

Common Mistakes

我收拾房间在早上。 → 我早上收拾房间。
In Chinese, time words must come before the verb, not at the end of the sentence.
我要打扫我的书。 → 我要收拾我的书。
'打扫' is for cleaning dirt/floors. For organizing books, use '收拾' or '整理'.
我收拾房间了一个小时。 → 我收拾房间收拾了一个小时。
When expressing duration with an object, you must repeat the verb.
把房间收拾干净了。 → 要把房间收拾干净。
The 'Ba' construction needs a subject or a clear imperative context.
他收拾房间得很整齐。 → 他把房间收拾得很整齐。
Using '得' for manner works best with the 'Ba' construction when an object is involved.

Tips

Use 'Ba' for impact

Instead of saying 'I tidy room', say 'I take room tidy good' (我把房间收拾好). It sounds much more native.

Handy Radicals

Remember the hand radical (扌). If you see it, the word probably involves doing something with your hands, like tidying!

New Year Cleaning

In China, tidying the room before the New Year is essential to sweep away bad luck. Don't clean on New Year's Day, or you'll sweep away the good luck!

Softening Requests

Always add '一下' (yīxià) when asking someone else to tidy. '收拾一下房间' sounds like a polite suggestion; '收拾房间' sounds like a command.

Tone Sandhi

Watch out for the neutral tone. The second syllable 'shi' is very light and quick.

Stroke Order

The character '收' starts with the left side. Don't rush the 'hand' radical; it sets the balance for the whole character.

Context Clues

If someone is holding a broom or looking at a mess and says 'shōu...', they are almost certainly talking about tidying up.

Don't confuse with Repair

If your phone is broken, you '修理' (xiūlǐ) it. You don't '收拾' it unless you are putting it away in a drawer.

Metaphorical Tidy

Use '收拾心情' to mean getting your emotions in order after a breakup or a bad day.

The 'Show' Connection

A tidy room is ready for a 'Show'. 'Shou'-shi sounds like 'Show'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine you have a 'Room' (房间). To 'Shou' (收), you gather the mess. To 'Shi' (拾), you pick up the pieces. You do this to keep your space 'Showy' (sounds like shōu).

Visual Association

Visualize a pair of hands (the radical in both characters is 扌, the hand radical) picking up a shirt and putting it in a drawer in a square room.

Word Web

收拾 (Verb) 房间 (Object) 干净 (Result) 把 (Grammar) 了 (Aspect) 妈妈 (Subject) 乱 (Problem) 整齐 (Goal)

Challenge

Try to say 'I will tidy my room' in Chinese every time you pick up an item off the floor today.

Word Origin

The term '收拾' (shōushi) dates back to ancient Chinese. '收' (shōu) depicted a hand holding a tool to gather crops. '拾' (shí) depicted a hand picking things up. Together they meant gathering things that were scattered.

Original meaning: To gather and store away; to collect items from the ground.

Sino-Tibetan (Mandarin Chinese)

Cultural Context

Be careful using '收拾' toward adults as it can sometimes sound like a command or, in slang, a threat to 'deal with' them.

English speakers often say 'clean my room' for everything. In Chinese, distinguish between tidying (收拾) and cleaning (打扫).

The 'Dan-sha-ri' movement (popular in China/Japan). Traditional Chinese parenting tropes in TV shows. Spring Festival cleaning traditions.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

At home with parents

被妈妈骂
赶紧收拾
换衣服
藏起来

In a university dorm

检查卫生
室友
公共空间
轮流

Preparing for guests

客人要来
泡茶
准备点心
面子

Moving house

搬家箱子
扔掉
打包
新生活

Hotel checkout

退房
检查遗漏
行李
前台

Conversation Starters

"你多久收拾一次房间？ (How often do you tidy your room?)"

"你喜欢收拾房间吗？ (Do you like tidying your room?)"

"你的房间现在乱吗？ (Is your room messy right now?)"

"谁帮你收拾房间？ (Who helps you tidy your room?)"

"收拾房间的时候，你喜欢听音乐吗？ (Do you like listening to music while tidying?)"

Journal Prompts

描述一下你收拾房间的过程。 (Describe the process of you tidying your room.)

为什么保持房间整洁很重要？ (Why is it important to keep a room tidy?)

你最讨厌收拾房间的哪个部分？ (Which part of tidying the room do you hate most?)

如果你有一个机器人帮你收拾房间，你会做什么？ (If you had a robot to tidy for you, what would you do?)

谈谈一次你不得不收拾一个非常乱的房间的经历。 (Talk about a time you had to tidy a very messy room.)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, but be careful! Colloquially, '收拾他' (shōushi tā) means to 'teach him a lesson' or 'punish him'. It's not about tidying a person up!

They are very similar. '收拾' is more common in daily speech and implies clearing a mess. '整理' is slightly more formal and implies putting things in a specific order or category.

Yes, in standard grammar: '我收拾房间收拾了一个小时'. Alternatively, you can say '我收拾了一个小时的房间'.

It's better to say '把房间收拾干净' or '收拾好房间'. Using '干净' as a resultative complement usually works best with the 'Ba' construction.

You can just say '收拾一下' (shōushi yīxià) or '收拾收拾' (shōushi shōushi).

Yes, it is used, but '整理' (zhěnglǐ) is even more common in Taiwan for the same action.

The most direct opposite is '弄乱' (nòng luàn), which means to make a mess.

No, you can '收拾' many things: '收拾行李' (luggage), '收拾书包' (schoolbag), '收拾碗筷' (dishes/chopsticks).

Yes. '收拾了房间' means you tidied it. '收拾好房间了' means you have finished tidying it completely.

The dictionary says 'shōushí' (2nd tone for the second char), but in real life, almost everyone says it as a neutral tone: 'shōushi'.