How to choose between 取る and 受け取る


When the meaning is 'to take' why would I choose to use 受け取る rather than just
取る? Are they equivalent or do they carry different nuances? Here's an example:

> 「もしよろしければ、オレンジの皮をいただけますか」と言い、 **受け取る** と、わたしに背を向けて、いそいで皮を食べた。
>
> "If it's okay, can I have your orange peel please?" he said, and when he had
> taken it, he turned his back to me and hurriedly ate it.




取る is simply to take, whether or not anyone else is involved.

受け取る is to take something that has been offered, given or handed to you.

In the case of your example, it sounds as though someone else (I assume
whoever he asked the question to, the author I suppose) handed the orange peel
to him, and he reached out and took it. If it had been simply 取る, he could
have instead just taken the orange peel off the table directly.

The key is in 受け-, from 受ける 'receive' - this is a compound verb of 'receive'
and 'take', meaning that it has something to do with getting something from
someone else as well as taking it.




取る is simply to take, whether or not anyone else is involved.

受け取る is to take something that has been offered, given or handed to you.

In the case of your example, it sounds as though someone else (I assume
whoever he asked the question to, the author I suppose) handed the orange peel
to him, and he reached out and took it. If it had been simply 取る, he could
have instead just taken the orange peel off the table directly.

The key is in 受け-, from 受ける 'receive' - this is a compound verb of 'receive'
and 'take', meaning that it has something to do with getting something from
someone else as well as taking it.

