Shou shi?

[sky753]

Hello Everyone,

Shou shi (收拾） in Chinese means put the things in a mess in good order and then place them into a certain area!

For example, my son has got the bad habit of putting his stationery and books here and there. Under the circumstances, I often say what a big mess you have made. Go and shou shi them! I would like to know here how " shoushi" is expressed in English?

Regards

Sky

[Barb_D]

Hmm. Go and tidy them up? Set things right? Maybe just "put your stuff away!"

[sky753]

Hmm. Go and tidy them up? Set things right? Maybe just "put you stuff away!"

If one say " put your suff away", does it has the meaning of taking the items away and put them into something or just get the things away?

By the way, after the meal , if you want the dishes, fork, knife to be taken away and the table to be cleaned, what would you say? Clean the table?

[Barb_D]

When you just get stuff "out of the way" you move it somewhere else, but if you "put your stuff away" you move it to where it belongs/where it is stored.

Here we refer to "clearing the table." My girls will argue about whose turn it is to clear. When they're a bit older, one will clear the table and the other will wash the dishes. If you clean the table, it means you wash it. (Not a bad thing to do after meals, of course, but not the same as getting the plates to the kitchen to be washed.)

[tigerpaws]

Here are some suggestions:
1. ...go and put them away.
2. straighten up your things and put them away.
3. ...pick up this mess and put it away.