Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
掙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
掙zhēngto struggle, to strive, to endeavorx, 11 strokes, radical 扌
zhēng(zheng1)zheng T1
  1. 1to struggle, to strive, to endeavor
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

掙zhēng(zheng1)

The character 掙 (zhēng) means to struggle or strive, often in the context of fighting against difficulties or working hard to achieve something. It conveys a sense of effort and determination in the face of obstacles, and is commonly used in phrases related to personal endeavors and struggles for success.

Strokes11Radical扌
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the notion of strife and personal effort is prevalent, particularly in the context of education and career advancement, reflecting the value placed on hard work and resilience in achieving success.

Memory tip

Imagine a person holding a heavy weight (the character's radical '手' meaning 'hand') and straining to lift it. The sound 'zhēng' can be remembered as 'straining' to reach a goal, connecting the physical act of struggling with the character's meaning.

Meanings of 掙

zhēng(zheng1)
1to struggle, to strive, to endeavor
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 掙 means.

About 掙

掙Simplified
11Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 掙

JasonAmy

Podcast: 掙

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 掙

Quick Contrast

挣 (zhèng) — use 掙 (zhēng) when emphasizing the effort involved in the struggle, while 挣 (zhèng) often refers to earning money or making a living.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing zhēng, as it is a first tone and can be easily confused with other words in different tones. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about personal effort and challenges.

HSK Study Tips

Although 掙 (zhēng) is not included in the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to the concept of effort found in HSK Level 3 words such as 努力 (nǔlì, to strive). Students should focus on understanding its usage in contexts involving hard work and perseverance.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 掙 (zhēng) with other similar-sounding terms. For example, using it in the wrong tone can lead to miscommunication, such as saying 'zhèng' instead of 'zhēng'. Correct usage would be '我在努力掙錢' (I am struggling to earn money).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 掙

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 掙, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 掙 to you

Let me explain 掙 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 掙 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How well do you know 掙?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 掙 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 掙

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To fight 爭 by hand 扌; 爭 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 掙?

Decomposition of 掙

IDS Structure⿰扌爭
掙Full character
=
扌shou3
left
爭zheng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 掙?

How to say to struggle, to strive, to endeavor in Chinese

“to struggle, to strive, to endeavor” in Chinese is掙zhēng

The character 掙 (zhēng) means to struggle or strive, often in the context of fighting against difficulties or working hard to achieve something. It conveys a sense of effort and determination in the face of obstacles, and is commonly used in phrases related to personal endeavors and struggles for success.

When to use 掙

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing zhēng, as it is a first tone and can be easily confused with other words in different tones. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about personal effort and challenges.

掙 or something close to it

挣 (zhèng) — use 掙 (zhēng) when emphasizing the effort involved in the struggle, while 挣 (zhèng) often refers to earning money or making a living.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 掙 (zhēng) with other similar-sounding terms. For example, using it in the wrong tone can lead to miscommunication, such as saying 'zhèng' instead of 'zhēng'. Correct usage would be '我在努力掙錢' (I am struggling to earn money).

Write 掙

掙

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 掙?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 掙

Words containing this character5
挣zhèngto make (money)掙
挣扎zhēngzháto struggle掙扎
挣钱zhèngqiánto make money掙錢
挣脱to throw off掙脫
垂死挣扎deathbed struggle垂死掙扎
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 掙

What does 挣 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 掙

While both convey the idea of effort, 掙 emphasizes struggling against difficulties, whereas 努力 simply means to make an effort.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 掙?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab