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鄭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鄭zhèngstate in today's Henan; surnamex, 14 strokes, radical 阝
zhèng(zheng4) T4
  1. 1state in today's Henan; surname
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鄭zhèng(zheng4)

The character 鄭 (zhèng) primarily refers to a historical state during the Warring States period, located in present-day Henan province. Additionally, it is a common Chinese surname, representing various families and ancestral lineages in Chinese history.

Strokes14Radical阝
Cultural Note

鄭 is significant in Chinese history, often associated with the Zheng state, which played a vital role in the political landscape of ancient China. The state is also known for its contributions to Chinese philosophy and warfare strategies.

Memory Tip

Imagine the character 鄭 as a 'town' (the radical 邑) with a 'flag' (the component 正) representing the state of Zheng. The 'flag' stands tall, symbolizing the pride of this ancient state, and the pronunciation 'zhèng' sounds like 'strength' to help you remember its importance.

Meanings of 鄭

zhèng(zheng4)
1state in today's Henan; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鄭

鄭Simplified
14Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鄭

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Podcast: 鄭

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AI Study Notes for 鄭

Usage Notes

When using 鄭 as a surname, it is common in both formal and informal contexts. A common mistake is confusing it with other surnames that have similar sounds, such as 张 (zhāng) or 赵 (zhào). Remember to emphasize the fourth tone when pronouncing it correctly.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鄭 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to Level 3 terms like 城市 (chéngshì, city) and 国家 (guójiā, country), emphasizing geographical and cultural concepts. Learners should focus on recognizing its historical significance.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 鄭 by using the wrong tone, saying 'zheng' instead of 'zhèng'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar-sounding surnames like 郑 (zhèng) and 张 (zhāng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鄭

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Etymology of 鄭

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

Simplified form of 鄭. Phonosemantic compound. ⻏ represents the meaning and 奠 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

A city 阝 guarding a pass 奠

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鄭

Simplified form of 鄭. Phonosemantic compound. ⻏ represents the meaning and 奠 represents the sound.

  1. 1The giveawayA city 阝 guarding a pass 奠
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 鄭? 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 鄭?

Decomposition of 鄭

IDS Structure⿰奠阝
鄭Full Character
=
奠dian4
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鄭?

How to say state in today's Henan; surname in Chinese

“state in today's Henan; surname” in Chinese is鄭zhèng

The character 鄭 (zhèng) primarily refers to a historical state during the Warring States period, located in present-day Henan province. Additionally, it is a common Chinese surname, representing various families and ancestral lineages in Chinese history.

When to use 鄭

When using 鄭 as a surname, it is common in both formal and informal contexts. A common mistake is confusing it with other surnames that have similar sounds, such as 张 (zhāng) or 赵 (zhào). Remember to emphasize the fourth tone when pronouncing it correctly.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 鄭 by using the wrong tone, saying 'zheng' instead of 'zhèng'. Additionally, some may confuse it with similar-sounding surnames like 郑 (zhèng) and 张 (zhāng).

Write 鄭

鄭

Practice writing 鄭 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 鄭

Words Containing This Character8
郑zhèngsurname Zheng鄭
郑重zhèngzhòngserious鄭重
郑州Zhengzhou prefecture level city and capital of Henan Province in central China鄭州
郑州市Zhengzhou prefecture level city and capital of Henan Province in central China鄭州市
郑重其事serious about the matter鄭重其事
郑成功Koxinga (1624-1662), military leader鄭成功
郑伊健Ekin Cheng (1967-), Hong Kong actor and pop singer鄭伊健
郑州大学Zhengzhou University鄭州大學
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 郑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鄭

Yes, 鄭 (zhèng) is a common surname, ranking among the top surnames in China.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鄭?

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.