Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
丞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
丞chéngto aid, to assist, to rescuen, 6 strokes, radical 一
丞chéngdeputyunknown, 6 strokes, radical 一
chéng(cheng2) T2
  1. 1to aid, to assist, to rescue
  2. 2deputy
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

丞chéng(cheng2)

The character 丞 (chéng) means 'to aid' or 'to assist,' often used in contexts where someone provides support or help to another person. It can also refer to a deputy or an assistant, indicating a role of secondary authority or assistance within a hierarchy.

Strokes6Radical一
Cultural Note

In historical contexts, the role of a 丞 (deputy) was significant in ancient Chinese governance, where a prime minister or high-ranking official would have several assistants to help manage state affairs, reflecting the importance of hierarchy in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a helper holding up a large sign that says 'Assist!' The character 丞 consists of the radical for 'person' (亻) on the left, symbolizing a helper, and the character 成 (chéng) on the right, which means 'to become' or 'to achieve.' Together, they represent someone who aids in achieving success.

Meanings of 丞

chéng(cheng2)
1to aid, to assist, to rescue
2deputy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 丞

丞Simplified
6Strokes
一Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 丞

JasonAmy

Podcast: 丞

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 丞

Usage Notes

丞 is often used in formal or literary contexts, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; ensure you are using it in the correct context of assistance or deputy roles. Common collocations include terms for specific roles, like '丞相' (chángxiàng), meaning 'prime minister.'

HSK Study Tips

While 丞 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK Level 4 words related to roles and assistance, such as 助 (zhù, to help) and 辅 (fǔ, to assist). Focus on understanding its usage in historical texts or formal settings to deepen your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 丞 with similar characters like 乘 (chéng, to ride) due to their similar pronunciation. Always remember that 丞 specifically relates to assistance or deputy roles.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 丞

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 丞 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 丞

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

one

Semantic (meaning)一
+
Phonetic (sound)氶
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 丞

  1. 1The meaning half一 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half氶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 丞? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 丞?

Decomposition of 丞

IDS Structure⿱氶一
丞Full Character
=
氶zheng3
top
一yi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 丞?

How to say to aid, to assist, to rescue in Chinese

“to aid, to assist, to rescue” in Chinese is丞chéng

The character 丞 (chéng) means 'to aid' or 'to assist,' often used in contexts where someone provides support or help to another person. It can also refer to a deputy or an assistant, indicating a role of secondary authority or assistance within a hierarchy.

When to use 丞

丞 is often used in formal or literary contexts, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; ensure you are using it in the correct context of assistance or deputy roles. Common collocations include terms for specific roles, like '丞相' (chángxiàng), meaning 'prime minister.'

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 丞 with similar characters like 乘 (chéng, to ride) due to their similar pronunciation. Always remember that 丞 specifically relates to assistance or deputy roles.

Write 丞

丞

Practice writing 丞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 丞

Words Containing This Character2
丞相prime minister
丞chéngdeputy
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 丞相 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 丞

No, it's more often found in formal or literary contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 丞?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.