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March 24, 2026
宗Zōng(Zong1)
The character 宗 (zōng) primarily refers to a school or sect, often associated with religious or philosophical groups. It can also mean purpose or model, and is frequently used to denote ancestry or lineage, highlighting one's familial connections. In academic or artistic contexts, it signifies taking something as a model or reference.
Strokes8Radical宀Frequency#4594DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, ancestral worship is significant, and the concept of 宗 ties into the importance of family lineage and respect for one's ancestors. Many Chinese festivals, such as Qingming, revolve around honoring these familial connections.
Memory Tip
Imagine a grand temple (宗) where ancestors are honored. The roof resembles a peak, symbolizing the lofty ideals of a school or sect. Think of 'Zōng' as 'zone' where traditions and purposes converge, allowing you to remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 宗
Zōng(Zong1)
1school
2sect
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 宗
宗Simplified
8Strokes
宀Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#4594Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 宗
Podcast: 宗
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AI Study Notes for 宗
Quick Contrast
宗 (zōng) vs 门 (mén) — use 宗 when referring to a specific school or sect, while 门 typically denotes a broader category or family of schools.
Usage Notes
This character is relatively formal and is often used in academic or religious discussions. Common mistakes include confusing 宗 with its phonetic cousins, which could lead to misinterpretations. Be cautious of tone; the correct pronunciation is 'zōng' with a high-level tone.
HSK Study Tips
Although 宗 is not an HSK word, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to family (家族) and education (学校). Students should focus on using 宗 in contexts involving lineage and academic references to strengthen their understanding of culturally significant terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 宗 with similar sounding characters like 总 (zǒng), which means 'to sum up' or 'overall'. A wrong example would be using 宗 to mean 'overall conclusion'; the correct character in that context would be 总.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 宗
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How Well Do You Know 宗?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 宗 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.
The character 宗 (zōng) primarily refers to a school or sect, often associated with religious or philosophical groups. It can also mean purpose or model, and is frequently used to denote ancestry or lineage, highlighting one's familial connections. In academic or artistic contexts, it signifies taking something as a model or reference.
When to use 宗
This character is relatively formal and is often used in academic or religious discussions. Common mistakes include confusing 宗 with its phonetic cousins, which could lead to misinterpretations. Be cautious of tone; the correct pronunciation is 'zōng' with a high-level tone.
宗 or something close to it
宗 (zōng) vs 门 (mén) — use 宗 when referring to a specific school or sect, while 门 typically denotes a broader category or family of schools.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 宗 with similar sounding characters like 总 (zǒng), which means 'to sum up' or 'overall'. A wrong example would be using 宗 to mean 'overall conclusion'; the correct character in that context would be 总.
Write 宗
宗
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Practice writing 宗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 宗
宗 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 10 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他们强烈感受到他们的____教信仰与政治体制不相称。
They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.
Example Sentences for 宗 (10)
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1
他们强烈感受到他们的宗教信仰与政治体制不相称。
tā mén qiáng liè gǎn shòu dào tā mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng yǔ zhèng zhì tǐ zhì bù xiāng chēng。
They feel strongly that their religion is incompatible with the political system.
2
你是在干涉人们的宗教信仰，他们并不喜欢你的做法。
nǐ shì zài gān shè rén mén de zōng jiào xìn yǎng， ， tā mén bìng bù xǐ huān nǐ de zuò。
You are messing with people's religion and they don't like that.
