Meanings of 壯
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About 壯
Podcast: 壯
Podcast: 壯
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AI Study Notes for 壯
壯 (zhuàng) vs 强 (qiáng) — use 壯 for physical size or robustness, while 强 emphasizes strength or power.
When using 壯, be mindful of its context; it typically describes physical attributes rather than emotional or abstract strength. It is more commonly used in informal contexts. Common collocations include '壯漢' (strong man) and '壯觀' (magnificent).
While 壯 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it relates to HSK Level 3 words like '大' (big) and '強' (strong). Students should focus on understanding how it emphasizes physicality compared to these more general terms.
Learners often confuse 壯 with 大, using it interchangeably without recognizing the nuance of strength versus size. For example, saying '他很大' (tā hěn dà - He is very big) may be incorrect if referring to strength; instead, use '他很壯' (tā hěn zhuàng).
Pronunciation of 壯
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Etymology of 壯
Phonosemantic compound. 士 represents the meaning and 丬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 壯.
soldier
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 壯
Phonosemantic compound. 士 represents the meaning and 丬 represents the sound. Simplified form of 壯.
- 1The meaning half士 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half爿 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaysoldier
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 壯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 壯
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How to say big, large; robust, strong; the name of a tribe in Chinese
“big, large; robust, strong; the name of a tribe” in Chinese is壯
The character 壯 (zhuàng) means big, large, or robust, often used to describe physical strength or size. It can also refer to a strong or vigorous state of health. Additionally, 壯 is associated with the name of a specific ethnic group in China, the Zhuang people, which adds cultural significance to its usage.
When to use 壯
When using 壯, be mindful of its context; it typically describes physical attributes rather than emotional or abstract strength. It is more commonly used in informal contexts. Common collocations include '壯漢' (strong man) and '壯觀' (magnificent).
壯 or something close to it
壯 (zhuàng) vs 强 (qiáng) — use 壯 for physical size or robustness, while 强 emphasizes strength or power.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 壯 with 大, using it interchangeably without recognizing the nuance of strength versus size. For example, saying '他很大' (tā hěn dà - He is very big) may be incorrect if referring to strength; instead, use '他很壯' (tā hěn zhuàng).
Write 壯
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Practice writing 壯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 壯
Compound Meaning
What does 强壮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 壯
You can say '他很壯' (tā hěn zhuàng) which means 'He is very strong.'
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