桢

楨

zhēn

木 + 贞

Definitions

zhēn (old) privet (genus Ligustrum); (bound form) (old) wooden support placed at the ends of a wall during construction; (fig.) mainstay; pillar; backbone

Etymology phono-semantic

tree

Semantic: 木 Phonetic: 贞

About

桢 (traditional 楨) is a phono-semantic compound: the wood radical 木 (mù) on the left indicates a connection to trees or timber, and the phonetic 贞 (zhēn), simplified from 貞, supplies the pronunciation. Originally, it referred to a type of evergreen hardwood tree, especially the Chinese privet, prized for its dense, durable wood. This sturdy timber was historically employed for main support pillars and framework posts in traditional wooden architecture. Over time, 桢 gained a metaphorical sense of a foundational state pillar or a crucial supporting figure in society. In modern usage, however, the character is largely confined to botanical terms and personal names.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

李桢是我的好朋友。

Lǐ Zhēn shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou.

Li Zhen is my good friend.

王桢今天来了。

Wáng Zhēn jīntiān lái le.

Wang Zhen came today.

这种木头是桢楠。

Zhè zhǒng mùtou shì zhēnnán.

This type of wood is nanmu.

桢楠树很高大。

Zhēnnán shù hěn gāodà.

The nanmu tree is very tall.

他是团队的桢干。

Tā shì tuánduì de zhēngàn.

He is the pillar of the team.

虽然李桢很忙，但他还是来了。

Suīrán Lǐ Zhēn hěn máng, dàn tā háishì lái le.

Although Li Zhen is busy, he still came.

桢楠是一种珍贵的木材。

Zhēnnán shì yī zhǒng zhēnguì de mùcái.

Nanmu is a precious type of wood.

由于桢楠的稀缺性，它的价格非常昂贵。

Yóuyú zhēnnán de xīquē xìng, tā de jiàgé fēicháng ángguì.

Due to the scarcity of nanmu, its price is very expensive.

Related Characters

Component: 木

Component: 贞