Control　of　phosphate　capture　and　release　is　vital　in　environmental,　biological,　and　pharmaceutical　contexts.　However,　the　binding　of　trivalent　phosphate　(PO43-)　in　water　is　exceptionally　difficult　due　to　its　high　hydration　energy.　Based　on　the　anion　coordination　chemistry　of　phosphate,　in　this　study,　four　charge-neutral　tripodal　hexaurea　receptors　(L1-L4),　which　were　equipped　with　morpholine　and　polyethylene　glycol　terminal　groups　to　enhance　their　solubility　in　water,　were　synthesized　to　enable　the　pH-triggered　phosphate　binding　and　release　in　aqueous　solutions.　Encouragingly,　the　receptors　were　found　to　bind　PO43-　anion　in　a　1　:　1　ratio　via　hydrogen　bonds　in　100　%　water　solutions,　with　L1　exhibiting　the　highest　binding　constant　(1.2x103　M-1).　These　represent　the　first　neutral　anion　ligands　to　bind　phosphate　in　100　%　water　and　demonstrate　the　potential　for　phosphate　capture　and　release　in　water　through　pH-triggered　mechanisms,　mimicking　native　phosphate　binding　proteins.　Furthermore,　L1　can　also　bind　multiple　bioavailable　phosphate　species,　which　may　serve　as　model　systems　for　probing　and　modulating　phosphate　homeostasis　in　biological　and　biomedical　researches.　A　biomimetic　charge-neutral　anion　receptor　for　reversible　binding　and　release　of　highly　hydrated　phosphate　in　water　image