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贈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
贈zèngto bestow, to confer, to present a giftx, 19 strokes, radical 貝
zèng(zeng4) T4
  1. 1to bestow, to confer, to present a gift
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

贈zèng(zeng4)

The character 贈 (zèng) means to bestow or to present someone with a gift. It is often used in formal contexts, such as giving gifts during ceremonies or significant occasions, reflecting a sense of honor and respect towards the recipient.

Strokes19Radical貝
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of giving gifts is deeply rooted in traditions such as the Lunar New Year, where贈 gifts symbolize good wishes and respect. The way gifts are presented can reflect the giver's status and relationship with the recipient.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand ceremony where gifts are being presented. The character 贈 has the radical for 'money' (貝) at the bottom, hinting at valuable gifts, while the top part can remind you of the act of giving. Picture a generous person bestowing a beautiful gift at a wedding.

Meanings of 贈

zèng(zeng4)
1to bestow, to confer, to present a gift
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 贈

贈Simplified
19Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 贈

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Podcast: 贈

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AI Study Notes for 贈

Quick Contrast

赠 (zèng) vs 送 (sòng) — use 赠 for formal gift-giving, while 送 is more casual.

Usage Notes

贈 is typically used in formal situations. Common mistakes include using it in casual contexts, where simpler terms like 送 (sòng, to give) may be more appropriate. Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it; the fourth tone can easily be confused with the lighter tones of similar words.

HSK Study Tips

While 贈 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other words related to giving and presenting, like 送 (sòng) and 赠品 (zèngpǐn, free gift). Students should focus on using 贈 in appropriate contexts, especially in formal settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 贈 with 送 and use it in casual situations, e.g., saying '我贈你这个' (I bestow you this) instead of '我送你这个' (I give you this). Remember to reserve 贈 for more formal instances.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 贈

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Etymology of 贈

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

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 曾 represents the sound. Simplified form of 贈.

Memory Hint

money

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 贈

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 曾 represents the sound. Simplified form of 贈.

  1. 1The meaning half貝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half曾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymoney
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 贈? 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 贈?

Decomposition of 贈

IDS Structure⿰貝曾
贈Full Character
=
貝bei4
left
曾ceng2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 贈?

How to say to bestow, to confer, to present a gift in Chinese

“to bestow, to confer, to present a gift” in Chinese is贈zèng

The character 贈 (zèng) means to bestow or to present someone with a gift. It is often used in formal contexts, such as giving gifts during ceremonies or significant occasions, reflecting a sense of honor and respect towards the recipient.

When to use 贈

贈 is typically used in formal situations. Common mistakes include using it in casual contexts, where simpler terms like 送 (sòng, to give) may be more appropriate. Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it; the fourth tone can easily be confused with the lighter tones of similar words.

贈 or something close to it

赠 (zèng) vs 送 (sòng) — use 赠 for formal gift-giving, while 送 is more casual.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 贈 with 送 and use it in casual situations, e.g., saying '我贈你这个' (I bestow you this) instead of '我送你这个' (I give you this). Remember to reserve 贈 for more formal instances.

Write 贈

贈

Practice writing 贈 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 贈

Words Containing This Character16
捐赠juānzèngto donate捐贈
赠送zèngsòngto present as a gift贈送
赠zèngto repel贈
赠品gift贈品
赠与to grant贈與
馈赠to present (a gift) to (sb)饋贈
赠予to grant贈予
转赠to pass on a present轉贈
捐赠者donor捐贈者
赠款grant贈款
遗赠to bequeath遺贈
敬赠complimentary敬贈
追赠to give to the departed追贈
奉赠(honorific) to present奉贈
临别赠言words of advice on parting臨別贈言
赠与者giver贈與者
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 捐赠 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 贈

贈 is more formal and implies a sense of honor in presenting a gift, while 送 is a more casual term for giving.

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