集体
jítǐ · HSK 3
collective
👥 集 = gather + 体 = body; a gathered body = a collective
集 means to gather or assemble (think 集合, to assemble). 体 means body or form. Together: a gathered body of people, i.e. a group or collective. Common in 集体主义 (collectivism) and 集体活动 (group activity).
集 — bird 隹 on top of tree 木
集 is an ideograph showing a bird (隹) perched on a tree (木). The original form depicted three birds gathering on a tree, later simplified to one. From 'birds flocking together' it extended to mean 'gather, collect, assemble,' and by extension 'collection' or 'volume' of writings.