Definitions

zhuāng (noun) stake; pile; post
zhuāng (noun) stump

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 桩, representing a stake or pile, derives from the traditional form 樁, which is structurally composed of the wood radical 木 to indicate its material and the phonetic component 舂. Historically, this character specifically referred to a wooden post driven into the ground, often used in construction or as a boundary marker. Over time, its meaning extended metaphorically from this tangible object to function as a measure word for discrete events or affairs, as seen in expressions like "一桩事". The simplified form 桩 replaced the original phonetic with 庄, which more directly signals its modern pronunciation while preserving the wood radical to sustain the semantic connection to wooden objects.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他把木打进土里。

Tā bǎ mùzhuāng dǎ jìn tǔ lǐ.

He drove the wooden stake into the ground.

工人们在工地打

Gōngrénmen zài gōngdì dǎ zhuāng.

The workers are driving piles at the construction site.

生意已经谈妥了。

Zhè zhuāng shēngyì yǐjīng tán tuǒ le.

This piece of business has already been settled.

意外改变了很多人。

Nà zhuāng yìwài gǎibiàn le hěnduō rén.

That accident changed many people.

机的声音非常吵闹。

Dǎzhuāngjī de shēngyīn fēicháng chǎonào.

The sound of the pile driver is very noisy.

他是这案件的关键证人。

Tā shì zhè zhuāng ànjiàn de guānjiàn zhèngrén.

He is the key witness in this case.

我们必须件件都处理清楚。

Wǒmen bìxū zhuāng zhuāng jiàn jiàn dōu chǔlǐ qīngchu.

We must handle every single item clearly.

这些证据都指向同一个结论。

Zhèxiē zhèngjù zhuāng zhuāng dōu zhǐxiàng tóng yīgè jiélùn.

Each and every piece of this evidence points to the same conclusion.