眞

zhēn

八 + 匕 + 目 + 𠃊

Definitions

zhēn variant of 真[zhēn]

Etymology

About

眞 is the traditional form of 真, used for "true", "real", or "genuine". The character originally meant "precious", a sense later taken over by the derivative 珍, and only afterward shifted to denote authenticity and truth. Structurally, it places 匕 (often suggesting change) above 目 (eye) and a lower element built from 乚 that resembles a foundation or vessel, though these components are inherited rather than directly tied to the modern meaning. While once interpreted as depicting an immortal's transformation, the oldest recoverable sense is simply "valuable", with the current abstract meaning "true" emerging from that material notion.