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装 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
装zhuāngadornmentHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto adornHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngdressHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngclothingHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngcostume (of an actor in a play)HSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto play a roleHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto pretendHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto installHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto fixHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto wrap (sth in a bag)HSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto loadHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngto packHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
装zhuāngdress, clothes, attire; to wear, to installHSK 4, v, 12 strokes, radical 衣, rank #648, Medium
zhuāng(zhuang1) T1
  1. 1adornment
  2. 2to adorn
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

装(裝)zhuāng(zhuang1)

The character 装 (zhuāng) primarily means 'to adorn' or 'to dress,' and is used in contexts related to clothing and costumes. It can also imply actions such as pretending or playing a role, as well as installing or fixing something. This versatility makes it applicable in both everyday scenarios, like getting dressed, and in more technical settings, such as equipment installation.

Strokes12Radical衣Frequency#648DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dressing up is often associated with significant events such as weddings or festivals, where traditional clothing might be worn to signify respect and celebration. The concept of '装' also relates to the importance of appearance and presentation in social contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person '装' (zhuāng)ing up for a fancy event, like a play. The character looks like a person putting on clothes (the radical for clothing 衣 is part of it), while the pronunciation 'zhuāng' sounds like 'strong,' as in dressing strongly or impressively.

Meanings of 装

zhuāng(zhuang1)
1adornment
2to adorn
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 装

装Simplified
裝Traditional
12Strokes
衣Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#648Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1BCT✓CEFRA1

Podcast: 装

JasonAmy

Podcast: 装

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 装

Quick Contrast

装 (zhuāng) vs 假装 (jiǎzhuāng) — use 装 for dressing or adorning, while 假装 specifically means to pretend or feign.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the usage of 装 in different contexts; it can imply both literal dressing and metaphorical 'dressing up' or pretending. It is commonly used in informal contexts, but ensure to use it appropriately in formal writing when discussing installations or technical matters. Typical collocations include 装饰 (to decorate) and 装备 (to equip).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 5 word, 装 connects well with other HSK vocabulary related to clothing and roles, such as 服装 (clothing) and 演员 (actor). Focus on understanding its different meanings and applications in both casual and formal contexts as you expand your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 装 with 服 (clothing) when referring to wearing clothes; for instance, saying '我装衣服' (I dress clothes) should be corrected to '我穿衣服' (I wear clothes). Additionally, using 装 to imply 'to pretend' can be misinterpreted if the context is not clear.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 装

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Etymology of 装

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

Phonosemantic compound. 衣 represents the meaning and 壮 represents the sound. Simplified form of 裝.

Memory Hint

clothes

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 装

Phonosemantic compound. 衣 represents the meaning and 壮 represents the sound. Simplified form of 裝.

  1. 1The meaning half衣 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half壮 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayclothes
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 装? 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 装?

Decomposition of 装

IDS Structure⿱壮衣
装Full Character
=
壮Zhuang4
top
衣yi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 装?

How to say adornment in Chinese

“adornment” in Chinese is装zhuāng

The character 装 (zhuāng) primarily means 'to adorn' or 'to dress,' and is used in contexts related to clothing and costumes. It can also imply actions such as pretending or playing a role, as well as installing or fixing something. This versatility makes it applicable in both everyday scenarios, like getting dressed, and in more technical settings, such as equipment installation.

When to use 装

Be cautious with the usage of 装 in different contexts; it can imply both literal dressing and metaphorical 'dressing up' or pretending. It is commonly used in informal contexts, but ensure to use it appropriately in formal writing when discussing installations or technical matters. Typical collocations include 装饰 (to decorate) and 装备 (to equip).

装 or something close to it

装 (zhuāng) vs 假装 (jiǎzhuāng) — use 装 for dressing or adorning, while 假装 specifically means to pretend or feign.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 装 with 服 (clothing) when referring to wearing clothes; for instance, saying '我装衣服' (I dress clothes) should be corrected to '我穿衣服' (I wear clothes). Additionally, using 装 to imply 'to pretend' can be misinterpreted if the context is not clear.

Write 装

装

Practice writing 装 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 装

装 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 13 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons3
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

...

这是我装的衣服。

Zhè shì wǒ zhuāng de yīfú.

This is the clothing I adorned.

Exercise 1 of 1

Build the Sentence

This is the clothing I adorned.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Common Confusions with 装

装vs庄
zhuāng

Shares pronunciation but has a different meaning and context.

装 can mean to pretend or to install, whereas 装得 is used to express how well one is pretending.

1

他装得很像。

装 can mean to pretend or to install, whereas 装得 is used to express how well one is pretending.

💡Remember, '得' is used for how something is done, while '装' alone can mean to pretend.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "adornment"?

or

Usage Notes for 装

Mixing up '装' and '装饰'Common Error

'装' means to adorn or pretend, while '装饰' specifically refers to decoration.

1

我喜欢装饰我的房间。

I like to decorate my room.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我喜欢____饰我的房间。

I like to decorate my room.

Example Sentences for 装 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我见到过这个身着灰色套装的英俊男士。

wǒ jiàn dào guò zhè gè shēn zháo huī sè tào zhuāng de yīng jùn nán shì。

I saw this nice-looking man in a gray suit.
2
我们正在成为时装业的领军者之一。

wǒ mén zhèng zài chéng wéi shí zhuāng yè de lǐng jūn zhě zhī yī。

We are becoming one of the market leaders in the fashion industry.
3
你没必要为这次聚会而着盛装。

nǐ méi bì yào wéi zhè cì jù huì ér zháo shèng zhuāng。

You don't have to get dressed up for this party.
4
不是园艺大师也可以把自己的家里装点得绿意盎然。

bù shì yuán yì dà shī yě kě yǐ bǎ zì jǐ de jiā lǐ zhuāng diǎn dé lǜ yì àng rán。

You don't need green fingers to fill your home with lush leaves.
5
墙上唯一的装饰是几支蜡烛和一面镜子。

qiáng shàng wéi yī de zhuāng shì shì jī zhī là zhú hé yī miàn jìng zǐ。

The only wall decorations are candles and a single mirror.
6
它是包装盒标明的成分之一。

tā shì bāo zhuāng hé biāo míng de chéng fēn zhī yī。

It is listed among the ingredients on the package.
7
用贝壳来装点盒子、托盘、镜子甚至是花盆。

yòng bèi ké lái zhuāng diǎn hé zǐ、 、 tuō、 pán 、 jìng zǐ shèn zhì shì。

Use shells to decorate boxes, trays, mirrors or even pots.
8
到处都是武装分子，视人命如草芥。

dào chǔ dū shì wǔ zhuāng fēn zǐ， ， shì rén mìng rú cǎo。

There were armed people about, people with little regard for human life.
9
我花大笔钱购置了上班时穿的漂亮新套装。

wǒ huā dà bǐ qián gòu zhì le shàng bān shí chuān de piāo liàng xīn tào zhuāng。

I spent lots of money on smart new outfits for work.
10
斯坦把装了钱的纸袋卷了起来。

sī tǎn bǎ zhuāng le qián de zhǐ dài juàn le qǐ lái。

Stein rolled up the paper bag with the money inside.

Word Family of 装

Words Containing This Character20
装zhuāngadornment裝
假装jiǎzhuāngto feign假裝
服装fúzhuāngdress服裝
装备zhuāngbèiequipment裝備
装置zhuāngzhìto install裝置
安装ānzhuāngto install安裝
武装wǔzhuāngarms武裝
装修zhuāngxiūto decorate裝修
装饰zhuāngshìto decorate裝飾
包装bāozhuāngto pack包裝
时装shízhuāngfashion時裝
伪装wěizhuāngpretense偽裝
西装xīzhuāngsuit西裝
套装kit套裝
女装women's clothes女裝
装作to pretend裝作
装满to fill up裝滿
装扮zhuāngbànto decorate裝扮
改装gǎizhuāngto repackage改裝
集装箱jízhuāngxiāngcontainer (for shipping)集裝箱
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 装 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 装

Common phrases that include 装 are '装饰' (zhuāng shì), which means 'to decorate,' and '装逼' (zhuāng bī), a colloquial term meaning 'to show off.' These phrases highlight the versatility of the character in different contexts.

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