Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
臧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
臧zāngsurname Zangunknown, 14 strokes, radical 臣
臧zānggood, right; generous; to commandnr, 14 strokes, radical 臣
zāng(Zang1) T1
  1. 1surname Zang
  2. 2good, right; generous; to command
Also a Chinese surname, Zang — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

臧zāng(Zang1)

The character 臧 (zāng) primarily means 'good' or 'right,' often used in contexts that imply generosity or commendable qualities. It can also refer to the surname Zang, and is associated with positive attributes or actions. In some contexts, it carries a sense of authority or command.

Strokes14Radical臣
Cultural Note

The character 臧 is often used in classical Chinese literature to describe virtuous individuals, reflecting a cultural appreciation for goodness and moral integrity that is deeply rooted in Confucian values.

Memory Tip

Imagine a generous person (zāng) giving away gifts, signifying goodness. The character 臧 looks like a person with arms outstretched, offering something valuable, reminding you of the generosity it represents.

Meanings of 臧

zāng(Zang1)
1good, right; generous; to command
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 臧

臧Simplified
14Strokes
臣Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 臧

JasonAmy

Podcast: 臧

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 臧

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone as 'zāng' is pronounced with a high-level tone, which differs from similar-sounding characters that might have negative meanings. This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, so it's more formal or literary. Common collocations include terms related to virtue or commendable qualities.

HSK Study Tips

Although 臧 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it shares thematic connections with words related to virtue and morality, which may appear in advanced study materials. Focus on recognizing its positive connotations and how it may appear in literary texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 臧 with similar characters like 藏 (cáng), which means 'to hide' or 'to store.' Remember that 臧 has a positive connotation related to goodness, while 藏 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 臧

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 臧 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 臧

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 臣 represents the meaning and 戕 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

minister

Semantic (meaning)臣
+
Phonetic (sound)戕
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 臧

Phonosemantic compound. 臣 represents the meaning and 戕 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half臣 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half戕 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayminister
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 臧? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 臧?

Decomposition of 臧

IDS Structure⿵戕臣
臧Full Character
=
戕qiang1
enclosing
臣Chen2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 臧?

How to say surname Zang in Chinese

“surname Zang” in Chinese is臧zāng

The character 臧 (zāng) primarily means 'good' or 'right,' often used in contexts that imply generosity or commendable qualities. It can also refer to the surname Zang, and is associated with positive attributes or actions. In some contexts, it carries a sense of authority or command.

When to use 臧

Be cautious with the tone as 'zāng' is pronounced with a high-level tone, which differs from similar-sounding characters that might have negative meanings. This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, so it's more formal or literary. Common collocations include terms related to virtue or commendable qualities.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 臧 with similar characters like 藏 (cáng), which means 'to hide' or 'to store.' Remember that 臧 has a positive connotation related to goodness, while 藏 does not.

Write 臧

臧

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 臧

Words Containing This Character2
臧zānggood
臧克家Zang Kejia (1905-2004), Chinese poet
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 臧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 臧

No, 臧 is relatively rare in modern use and is more often found in classical or literary contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 臧?

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.