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奘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
奘zàngfat, stout, thick; powerful, stockyg, 10 strokes, radical 大, rank #79031, Very Hard
奘zànggreatunknown, 10 strokes, radical 大, rank #79031, Very Hard
奘zhuǎngfat, stout, thick; powerful, stockyg, 10 strokes, radical 大, rank #79031, Very Hard
奘zhuǎnggreatunknown, 10 strokes, radical 大, rank #79031, Very Hard
zàng(zang4)zang
primary
T4
  1. 1fat, stout, thick; powerful, stocky
  2. 2great
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

奘zàng(zang4)

The character 奘 (zàng) refers to a state of being fat, stout, or thick. It can also connote power or strength, often used to describe a person's build as robust or stocky. In various contexts, it emphasizes the physical attributes of size and stature, sometimes with a positive connotation of strength or health.

Strokes10Radical大Frequency#79031DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, a stout figure is often associated with prosperity and health. The portrayal of well-built characters in historical dramas reflects societal values where strength and robustness were admired traits.

Memory tip

Imagine a large, strong person wearing a thick jacket that accentuates their stout figure. The character 奘 looks like a person carrying a heavy load (the bottom part) while wearing a thick coat (the top part resembles a coat's collar). This imagery helps you remember both the meaning of 'stout' and the pronunciation 'zàng.'

Meanings of 奘

zàng(zang4)
primary
1fat, stout, thick; powerful, stocky
2great
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 奘

奘Simplified
10Strokes
大Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 奘

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Podcast: 奘

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AI study notes for 奘

Quick Contrast

胖 (pàng, fat) - use 奘 (zàng) when emphasizing a robust or strong physique rather than just size.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 奘 with similar characters that have different meanings, such as 瘦 (shòu), which means thin. This character is generally used in informal contexts when describing someone's stature but can also appear in more formal descriptions of strength. Pay attention to the fourth tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 奘 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can help learners connect to other words related to body types and physical descriptions. Students at this level should focus on expanding their vocabulary around adjectives describing physical characteristics.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 奘 with 胖 (pàng), which strictly means 'fat' without the additional connotation of strength. For example, saying '他很胖' (tā hěn pàng) is less nuanced than '他很奘' (tā hěn zàng) if you want to imply a strong build.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 奘

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Etymology of 奘

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

big

Semantic (meaning)大
+
Phonetic (sound)壯
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

奘 = 大 + 壯. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 奘

IDS Structure⿱壯大
奘Full character
=
壯zhuang4
top
大da4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 奘?

How to say fat, stout, thick; powerful, stocky in Chinese

“fat, stout, thick; powerful, stocky” in Chinese is奘zàng

The character 奘 (zàng) refers to a state of being fat, stout, or thick. It can also connote power or strength, often used to describe a person's build as robust or stocky. In various contexts, it emphasizes the physical attributes of size and stature, sometimes with a positive connotation of strength or health.

When to use 奘

Common mistakes include confusing 奘 with similar characters that have different meanings, such as 瘦 (shòu), which means thin. This character is generally used in informal contexts when describing someone's stature but can also appear in more formal descriptions of strength. Pay attention to the fourth tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.

奘 or something close to it

胖 (pàng, fat) - use 奘 (zàng) when emphasizing a robust or strong physique rather than just size.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 奘 with 胖 (pàng), which strictly means 'fat' without the additional connotation of strength. For example, saying '他很胖' (tā hěn pàng) is less nuanced than '他很奘' (tā hěn zàng) if you want to imply a strong build.

Write 奘

奘

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

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Grammar patterns of 奘

奘 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这棵树很____.

This tree is very stout.

Example sentences for 奘 (1)

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1
这棵树很奘.

zhè kē shù hěn zàng.

This tree is very stout.
Exercise 1 of 1

Rebuild it

Rebuild it: “This tree is very stout.”

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Word Family of 奘

Words containing this character2
玄奘Xuanzang (602-664) Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator, who traveled to India 629-645
奘zàngfat
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 奘

What does 玄奘 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 奘

It can be both, depending on the context. It's often used positively to denote strength and health.

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