Definitions

zhěng (adjective) orderly; in good order
zhěng (adjective) whole; complete; entire
zhěng (verb) to repair; to fix; to mend
zhěng (adverb) exactly

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 整 is a phono-semantic compound expressing the idea of order or completeness. Its upper portion combines 束, a tied bundle, with 攵, a hand holding a stick to suggest action, forming a unit that means to organize or arrange. The lower portion is 正, meaning correct or straight, which provides both the phonetic element and reinforces the notion of proper alignment. This structure evokes the act of binding things together correctly, yielding core meanings such as whole, entire, or exact, alongside active senses like to arrange, repair, rectify, or tidy up.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我吃了个苹果。

Wǒ chīle zhěnggè píngguǒ.

I ate the whole apple.

理了她的房间。

Tā zhěnglǐle tā de fángjiān.

She cleaned up her room.

书架上书本很齐。

Shūjià shàng shǔběn hěn zhěngqí.

The books on the shelf are very neat.

天都在工作。

Tā zhěngtiān dōu zài gōngzuò.

He works all day.

我们修了旧房子。

Wǒmen zhěngxiūle jiù fángzi.

We renovated the old house.

公司需要顿管理。

Gōngsī xūyào zhěngdùn guǎnlǐ.

The company needs to rectify its management.

件事让我很困惑。

Zhěng jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn kùnhuò.

The whole matter makes me very confused.

他们正在合各种资源。

Tāmen zhèngzài zhěnghé gè zhǒng zīyuán.

They are integrating various resources.