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轸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
轸zhěna cross board at rear of a carriageg, 9 strokes, radical 车, rank #89510, Very Hard
轸zhěnsquareunknown, 9 strokes, radical 车, rank #89510, Very Hard
轸zhěnstrongly (as of emotion)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 车, rank #89510, Very Hard
zhěn(zhen3)zhen T3
  1. 1a cross board at rear of a carriage
  2. 2square
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March 24, 2026

轸(軫)zhěn(zhen3)

The character 轸 (zhěn) refers to a cross board located at the rear of a carriage, which historically served an essential function in the design of wheeled vehicles. It can also mean 'square' in certain contexts and is associated with strong emotions, indicating intensity or depth of feeling. This character is less commonly used in modern contexts but can appear in literature or discussions about traditional transportation.

Strokes9Radical车Frequency#89510DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In ancient China, carriages were not just for transportation but also a symbol of status and power. The design and construction of carriages, including elements like the 轸, reflect the craftsmanship and engineering skills of the time, as well as the importance of mobility in social and political contexts.

Memory tip

Imagine a large wooden crossboard at the back of an old-fashioned carriage, supporting it and keeping it steady. The character 轸 contains the radical for 'vehicle' (车), suggesting its connection to transportation, while the pronunciation 'zhěn' can remind you of the sound a strong emotion makes when it bursts forth.

Meanings of 轸

zhěn(zhen3)
1a cross board at rear of a carriage
2square
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 轸

轸Simplified
軫Traditional
9Strokes
车Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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AI study notes for 轸

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, which may lead learners to misuse it in casual contexts. It is more appropriate in formal writing or historical discussions about carriages. Be cautious of its tonal pronunciation; 'zhěn' requires a third tone which can often be confused with other similar sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 轸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance comprehension when reading texts related to history or traditional Chinese vehicles. Students should focus on the radicals and components that relate to vehicles and emotions to help remember its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 轸 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage, such as using 轸 in a casual conversation where a more common term would suffice. For example, using it to describe a car instead of a historical context would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 轸

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Etymology of 轸

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

cart

Semantic (meaning)车
+
Phonetic (sound)㐱
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

轸 = 车 + 㐱. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 轸

IDS Structure⿰车㐱
轸Full character
=
车Che1
left
㐱zhen3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 轸?

How to say a cross board at rear of a carriage in Chinese

“a cross board at rear of a carriage” in Chinese is轸zhěn

The character 轸 (zhěn) refers to a cross board located at the rear of a carriage, which historically served an essential function in the design of wheeled vehicles. It can also mean 'square' in certain contexts and is associated with strong emotions, indicating intensity or depth of feeling. This character is less commonly used in modern contexts but can appear in literature or discussions about traditional transportation.

When to use 轸

This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, which may lead learners to misuse it in casual contexts. It is more appropriate in formal writing or historical discussions about carriages. Be cautious of its tonal pronunciation; 'zhěn' requires a third tone which can often be confused with other similar sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 轸 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage, such as using 轸 in a casual conversation where a more common term would suffice. For example, using it to describe a car instead of a historical context would be incorrect.

Write 轸

轸

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

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Word Family of 轸

Words containing this character1
轸zhěnsquare軫

Frequently asked questions about 轸

In modern Chinese, 轸 is not commonly used, but it refers to a specific part of a carriage or can imply strong emotions in literary contexts.

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