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章 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhāngsurname ZhangHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngchapterHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngsectionHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngclauseHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngmovement (of symphony)HSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngsealHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngbadgeHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngregulationHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngorderHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāngchapter, section, writing; sealHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 立, rank #2753, Hard
zhāng(zhang1) T1
  1. 1chapter
  2. 2section
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
zhāng(zhang1)

The character 章 (zhāng) primarily refers to a chapter or section within a written work, indicating a distinct part of a larger text. It can also denote a seal or a badge, suggesting an official mark of authorization or identity. In musical contexts, it can refer to a movement of a symphony, highlighting its use in artistic expressions.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#2753DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, chapters (章) are crucial for structuring narratives, much like in Western novels. Traditional texts often have numbered chapters, reflecting the importance of organization in storytelling.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand scroll (章) with various chapters unfolding like sections of a story. The character looks like a person (the top part) marking a chapter (the bottom part) with a seal, emphasizing the importance of each section in literature and music.

Meanings of 章

zhāng(zhang1)
1chapter
2section
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 章

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#2753Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCTCEFRC1

Podcast: 章

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 章

Quick Contrast

节 (jié) - use 章 (zhāng) when referring specifically to chapters or sections in a written work, while 节 (jié) is more commonly used for sections in music or events.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a grand scroll (章) with various chapters unfolding like sections of a story. The character looks like a person (the top part) marking a chapter (the bottom part) with a seal, emphasizing the importance of each section in literature and music.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 章 with other similar characters like 章 (zhāng) and 张 (zhāng), which have different meanings. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful when using it in legal or official documents, as precision is crucial.

HSK Study Tips

While 章 might not be a part of HSK vocabulary, it connects to words related to writing and literature, such as 文章 (wénzhāng, article) and 章节 (zhāngjié, section). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in written texts and familiarize themselves with its different meanings.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, chapters (章) are crucial for structuring narratives, much like in Western novels. Traditional texts often have numbered chapters, reflecting the importance of organization in storytelling.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 章 with 张, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我写了张' (I wrote a Zhang) instead of '我写了章' (I wrote a chapter) can change the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 章

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Etymology of 章

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Origin unclear.

Memory Hint

The ten 十 movements of a piece of music 音

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 章?

Decomposition of 章

IDS Structure⿱音十
Full Character
=
yin1
top
shi2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 章?

Write 章

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 章

Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

这篇文____由三个部分组成。

This article is made up of three parts.

Common Confusions with 章

vs
zhàng

Similar in shape to '章', but has a different pronunciation and meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "chapter"?

or

Example Sentences for 章 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我打电话是要谈谈你写的有关“偏见”的系列文章。

wǒ dǎ diàn huà shì yào tán tán nǐ xiě de yǒu guān“ “ piān” jiàn ” de xì liè。

I'm calling in reference to your series on prejudice.
2
提前搞清楚什么规章适用于你的情况。

tí qián gǎo qīng chǔ shí mó guī zhāng shì yòng yú nǐ de qíng kuàng。

Find out ahead of time what regulations apply to your situation.
3
一旦作出决定,事情就立刻顺理成章地发展下去了。

yī dàn zuò chū jué dìng, , shì qíng jiù lì kè shùn lǐ chéng zhāng dì fā zhǎn xià qù。

Once the decision was made, things fell into place rapidly.
4
非常感谢您允许我们复印这篇文章。

fēi cháng gǎn xiè nín yǔn xǔ wǒ mén fù yìn zhè piān wén zhāng。

We are grateful to you for permission to reproduce this article.
5
许多长篇大论的文章,不,应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

xǔ duō cháng piān dà lùn de wén zhāng, ,, bù , yīng gāi shuō shì zhěng bù zhěng bù de shū dū shì guān yú zhè jiàn。

Long essays, nay, whole books have been written on this.
6
这本书因含有需要删除的问题章节而被撤回。

zhè běn shū yīn hán yǒu xū yào shān chú de wèn tí zhāng jié ér bèi chè huí。

The book was withdrawn for the offending passages to be deleted.
7
理查德叔叔吟诵了《圣经》中的一章,又即兴作了一段祈祷文。

lǐ chá dé shū shū yín sòng le《 《 shèng》 jīng 》 zhōng de, yī zhāng , yòu jí xīng zuò le yī duàn。

Uncle Richard intoned a chapter from the Bible and improvised a prayer.
8
有关采用欧元的文章已经有很多。

yǒu guān cǎi yòng ōu yuán de wén zhāng yǐ jīng yǒu hěn duō。

Millions of words have been written about the introduction of the euro.
9
徽章也有卖的,2.5英镑一枚。

huī zhāng yě yǒu mài de,2.5 ,2.5 yīng bàng yī。

Badges are also available at a cost of £
10
这种徽章有20种不同的颜色和形状。

zhè zhǒng huī zhāng yǒu20 20 zhǒng bù tóng de yán sè hé xíng。

The badges come in twenty different colours and shapes.

Cultural Notes for 章

💡Did you know?

The character '章' is often used in formal documents and literature to denote sections, emphasizing the structured nature of Chinese writing and legal texts.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature, chapters (章) are crucial for structuring narratives, much like in Western novels. Traditional texts often have numbered chapters, reflecting the importance of organization in storytelling.

Word Family of 章

Compounds25
zhang4to block
zhang1cockroach
zhang1manifest
zhang4malaria; miasma, pestilential vapor
zhang1camphor tree
zhang1roebuck, hornless river deer
zhang4cliff; the barrier formed by a mountain range
zhang1husband's mother; the lady in the moon
zhang4a cloth or silken hanging scroll
Zhang1a river in Henan province
zhang1jade plaything; jade ornament
Gan4Jiangxi province; places therein
zhang1an ancient city in Jiangsu province
zhang1octopus, devilfish
gan4Jiangxi province; places therein
騿
Words Containing This Character20
文章wénzhāngarticle
zhāngchapter
勋章xūnzhāngmedal勛章
徽章badge
规章guīzhāngrule規章
章程zhāngchéngrules
违章wéizhāngto break the rules違章
奖章medal獎章
章鱼octopus章魚
印章yìnzhāngseal
章节chapter章節
宪章charter憲章
篇章writing
章子怡Zhang Ziyi (1979-), PRC actress
乐章movement (of a symphony)樂章
盖章gàizhāngto affix a seal蓋章
顺理成章shùnlǐchéngzhānglogical順理成章
公章official seal
党章party constitution黨章
做文章to fuss
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 障 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 章

Yes, 章 (Zhāng) is a relatively common surname in China. It is often found among individuals and families and can be used as both a given name and a surname.