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针 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
针zhēnneedleHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
针zhēnpinHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
针zhēninjectionHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
针zhēnstitchHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
针zhēn>针[zhēn], needleHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
针zhēnneedle, pin, tack; acupunctureHSK 6, p, 7 strokes, radical 钅, rank #2513, Medium
zhēn(zhen1) T1
  1. 1needle
  2. 2pin
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
针(針)zhēn(zhen1)

The character 针 (zhēn) refers to a needle or pin, commonly used in sewing, acupuncture, and medical injections. It conveys the concept of precision and piercing, often associated with tools or instruments that create small punctures in materials or skin.

Strokes7Radical钅Frequency#2513DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, 针 plays a crucial role in acupuncture, a practice that dates back thousands of years and is integral to holistic health approaches in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sharp needle (针) that resembles a straight line piercing through fabric. The character's form includes the metal radical (钅), suggesting its material, and 'zhēn' sounds like 'zen,' invoking a focused state of mind needed when using a needle carefully.

Meanings of 针

zhēn(zhen1)
1needle
2pin
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 针

针Simplified
針Traditional
7Strokes
钅Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2513Frequency Rank
根Measure Word
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 针

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Podcast: 针

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AI Study Notes for 针

Quick Contrast

针 (needle) vs 线 (thread) — choose 针 when referring to the instrument for piercing, while 线 refers to the material that is sewn or threaded.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a sharp needle (针) that resembles a straight line piercing through fabric. The character's form includes the metal radical (钅), suggesting its material, and 'zhēn' sounds like 'zen,' invoking a focused state of mind needed when using a needle carefully.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tones; 'zhēn' (针) has a high-level tone that must be pronounced correctly to avoid confusion with other words. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in medical or crafting discussions, such as '针灸' (acupuncture).

HSK Study Tips

Although 针 is not specifically listed in the HSK levels, it connects with other HSK vocabulary related to health and tools. Students should focus on understanding how this word can be combined with verbs like '用' (to use) and '打' (to inject) to form common phrases.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, 针 plays a crucial role in acupuncture, a practice that dates back thousands of years and is integral to holistic health approaches in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 针 (zhēn) with 真 (zhēn), leading to misunderstandings in context. For example, saying '我需要真' instead of '我需要针' when requesting a needle is incorrect; the correct phrase is '我需要针' (I need a needle).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 针

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Etymology of 针

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

Simplified form of 針. Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 十 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

A metal 钅 pin 十

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 针?

Decomposition of 针

IDS Structure⿰钅十
针Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
十shi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 针?

Write 针

针

Practice writing 针 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 针

针 functions as a preposition (often called a "coverb" in Chinese). It introduces a phrase that comes BEFORE the main verb (我在家吃饭, 给妈妈打电话), unlike English which puts prepositions after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons3
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

这是别人的东西，我们一____一线都不能拿。

These are other people's things — we cannot take even a needle or thread.

Example Sentences for 针 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
针对他们各人不同的需要挑选柔软、软硬适中或者坚硬的床垫。

zhēn duì tā mén gè rén bù tóng de xū yào tiāo xuǎn róu ruǎn、 、 ruǎn yìng shì zhōng huò zhě jiān yìng de chuáng。

Choose a soft, medium or firm mattress to suit their individual needs.
2
显示你身高的指针在右上角。

xiǎn shì nǐ shēn gāo de zhǐ zhēn zài yòu shàng jiǎo。

The needles that indicate your height are at the top right-hand corner.
3
这个消息给电信部门注入了一针强心剂。

zhè gè xiāo xī gěi diàn xìn bù mén zhù rù le yī zhēn qiáng xīn jì。

The news gave a fillip to the telecommunications sector.
4
这所学校因其针对该社区具有开创性的工作而获奖。

zhè suǒ xué xiào yīn qí zhēn duì gāi shè qū jù yǒu kāi chuàng xìng de gōng zuò ér huò jiǎng。

The school has won awards for its pioneering work with the community.
5
这枚胸针的历史可以追溯到公元前4世纪。

zhè méi xiōng zhēn de lì shǐ kě yǐ zhuī sù dào gōng yuán qián4 4 shì。

The brooch dates back to the fourth century BC.
6
内务大臣正考虑制定一项针对跟踪骚扰的新法律。

nèi wù dà chén zhèng kǎo lǜ zhì dìng yī xiàng zhēn duì gēn zōng sāo rǎo de xīn fǎ lǜ。

The Home Secretary is considering a new law against stalking.
7
希拉身着一件黑色针织上装来参加晚宴。

xī lā shēn zháo yī jiàn hēi sè zhēn zhī shàng zhuāng lái cān jiā wǎn yàn。

Sheila had come to dinner in a black jersey top.
8
他所传达的信息针对的是以色列政局中尚未表态的中间派。

tā suǒ chuán dá de xìn xī zhēn duì de shì yǐ sè liè zhèng jú zhōng shàng wèi biǎo tài de zhōng jiān pài。

His message was aimed at the undecided middle ground of Israeli politics.
9
起初，他幸好不知道那些针对他的阴谋。

qǐ chū， ， tā xìng hǎo bù zhī dào nà xiē zhēn duì tā de yīn。

At first, he was blissfully unaware of the conspiracy against him.
10
他通过几句有针对性的话不断督促着队伍。

tā tōng guò jī jù yǒu zhēn duì xìng de huà bù duàn dū cù zháo duì wǔ。

He chivvies the troops along with a few well-directed words.

Cultural Notes for 针

💡Did you know?

In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a practice that uses 针 (needles) to stimulate specific points on the body. This practice dates back thousands of years and is believed to balance the body's energy, or 'qi'.

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, 针 plays a crucial role in acupuncture, a practice that dates back thousands of years and is integral to holistic health approaches in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 针

Words Containing This Character20
针对zhēnduìto target針對
针zhēnpin針
方针fāngzhēnpolicy方針
针对性focus針對性
打针dǎzhēnto give or have an injection打針
针织knitting針織
针灸zhēnjiǔacupuncture and moxibustion針灸
别针pin別針
指南针zhǐnánzhēncompass指南針
针刺to prick with a needle針刺
指针clock hand指針
针锋相对zhēnfēngxiāngduìmeasure for measure針鋒相對
探针probe探針
针孔pinhole針孔
一针见血fig. to hit the nail on the head一針見血
大海捞针lit. to fish a needle from the sea大海撈針
时针hour hand時針
针剂fluid loaded into a syringe for a hypodermic injection針劑
预防针heads-up預防針
针线needlework針線
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 针对 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 针

Some common phrases that include 针 (zhēn) are '针线' (zhēnxiàn), which means 'needle and thread,' and '针灸' (zhēnjiǔ), meaning 'acupuncture.' These phrases illustrate the various contexts in which the character is used.