收养又称抱养、领养，系指将他人子女收为自己子女，中国古代又称为螟蛉子，这是由于古人误以为蜾蠃把螟蛉的幼虫收养作己子，实际上牠们是用作给自己幼虫的食物。《封神榜》中的雷震子是一个弃婴，被周文王收为螟蛉子，列为文王的百子之末。

法律上，收养视同婚生子女的一种身分契约关系，见于非婚生子女的情形。由于收养会将本无真实血缘联系之人间，拟制具有亲子关系，因此收养者与被收养者间又称为法定血亲或拟制血亲。收养者可为养父母或继父母，被收养者也许是养子女或继子女身分；被收养者之生父母称为本生父母，而对本生父母而言，被收养者称为出养子女。子女出养后，本生父母之亲权即处于暂时停止之状态。

Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents, and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents. Unlike guardianship or other systems designed for the care of the young, adoption is intended to effect a permanent change in status and as such requires societal recognition, either through legal or religious sanction. Historically, some societies have enacted specific laws governing adoption; where others have tried to achieve adoption through less formal means, notably via contracts that specified inheritance rights and parental responsibilities without an accompanying transfer of filiation. Modern systems of adoption, arising in the 20th century, tend to be governed by comprehensive statutes and regulations.