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March 24, 2026
振zhèn(zhen4)
The character 振 (zhèn) means 'to shake' or 'to vibrate' and is often used in contexts that involve movement or excitement. It can also imply a sense of rising up with spirit or energy, commonly seen in phrases related to motivation or empowerment.
Strokes10Radical扌Frequency#8155DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '振' is often associated with inspirational speeches or movements where leaders rally people to rise up and take action, reflecting the importance of motivation in achieving collective goals.
Memory Tip
Imagine a drum (the radical '木' represents a tree, like the wood of a drum) that you shake vigorously to create sound. The action of shaking or vibrating the drum brings energy and excitement to a gathering, helping you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation of 'zhèn'.
Meanings of 振
zhèn(zhen4)
1to shake
2to flap
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 振
振Simplified
10Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8155Frequency Rank
Podcast: 振
Podcast: 振
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AI Study Notes for 振
Quick Contrast
振 (zhèn) vs 摇 (yáo) — choose 振 when emphasizing a vigorous or spirited shaking, while 摇 refers to a gentler or more rhythmic movement.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a drum (the radical '木' represents a tree, like the wood of a drum) that you shake vigorously to create sound. The action of shaking or vibrating the drum brings energy and excitement to a gathering, helping you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation of 'zhèn'.
Usage Notes
The character is often used in both formal and informal contexts but can be more commonly found in literary or motivational speech. Be careful not to confuse it with characters that mean 'to tremble' or 'to shiver', which carry different nuances.
HSK Study Tips
While 振 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it can be connected to other words about movement or excitement at higher levels. Focus on its usage in combination with other characters to create phrases that express energy or motivation.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '振' is often associated with inspirational speeches or movements where leaders rally people to rise up and take action, reflecting the importance of motivation in achieving collective goals.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 振 with 震 (zhèn), which means 'to tremble' or 'to shake violently'. For example, saying '我很震' instead of '我很振' when trying to express excitement is incorrect; use '我很振奋' instead.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 振
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Grammar Patterns of 振
振 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 7 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
Complete the Sentence
他领受了坚____礼，成为英国国教会的一员。
He was confirmed as a member of the Church of England.
Common Confusions with 振
振vs震
zhèn
Similar pronunciation and meaning; different character.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to shake"?
or
Example Sentences for 振 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他领受了坚振礼，成为英国国教会的一员。
tā lǐng shòu le jiān zhèn lǐ， ， chéng wéi yīng guó guó jiào huì de yī。
He was confirmed as a member of the Church of England.
2
她重振旗鼓去开创自己的事业了。
tā zhòng zhèn qí gǔ qù kāi chuàng zì jǐ de shì yè le。
She dusted herself down and left to build her own career.
3
这是个令人振奋的消息。
zhè shì gè líng rén zhèn fèn de xiāo xī。
This is heartening news.
4
然后我想起了那张支票，这让我精神大振。
rán hòu wǒ xiǎng qǐ le nà zhāng zhī piào， ， zhè ràng wǒ jīng shén dà。
Then I remembered the cheque, which cheered me up.
5
你总能使我振作起来。
nǐ zǒng néng shǐ wǒ zhèn zuò qǐ lái。
I can always count on you to cheer me up.
6
他现在似乎失去了勇气，但愿他能很快重新振作起来。
tā xiàn zài sì hū shī qù le yǒng qì， ， dàn yuàn tā néng hěn kuài zhòng xīn zhèn zuò qǐ。
Courage seems now to have deserted him. May it quickly reappear.
As we fall asleep the amplitude of brain waves slowly becomes greater.
10
“ 振作一点, 老家伙, " 他的朋友对着他的耳朵低声说, " 不管怎么样,我们都要去一趟那里.
“ “ zhèn zuò yī, diǎn , lǎo," jiā huǒ , " tā de péng yǒu duì zháo tā de ěr duǒ," dī shēng shuō , " bù, guǎn zěn mó yàng , wǒ mén dū yào.
" Cheer up, old man, " whispered his companion. " We'll go around , anyhow.
Cultural Notes for 振
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of '振' is often associated with inspirational speeches or movements where leaders rally people to rise up and take action, reflecting the importance of motivation in achieving collective goals.
Word Family of 振
Words Containing This Character20
振作zhènzuòto bestir oneself
振zhènto shake
振奋zhènfènto stir oneself up振奮
振动zhèndòngto vibrate振動
振兴zhènxīngto revive振興
核磁共振nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
振荡vibration振蕩
一蹶不振ruined at a stroke
共振resonance (physics)
振幅amplitude
不振lacking in vitality
磁共振magnetic resonance
杨振宁Chen-Ning Franklin Yang (1922-), theoretical physicist, co-developer of Yang-Mills gauge theory, 1957 Nobel laureate楊振寧
令人振奋inspiring令人振奮
萎靡不振dispirited and listless (idiom); downcast
振荡器oscillator振蕩器
振振有词to speak forcefully and with justice (idiom); to argue with the courage of one's convictions振振有詞
辜振甫Koo Chen-fu (1917-2005), Taiwanese businessman and diplomat
谐振resonance諧振
振聋发聩lit. so loud that even the deaf can hear (idiom); rousing even the apathetic振聾發聵
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 振作 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 振
You can say '振奋人心' (zhènfèn rénxīn), which means 'to inspire and uplift people'.
It is more frequently found in written language or formal speech rather than in casual conversations.
Synonyms include 摇动 (yáodòng) meaning 'to shake' and 激励 (jīlì) meaning 'to motivate'.
