About
长 has two distinct pronunciations and related meanings: cháng (adjective, "long") and zhǎng (verb, "to grow", also "elder" or "leader"). The traditional form 長 originated as a pictograph of an elderly person with long hair and a walking stick, visually connecting long hair to aging and growth. From physical length, the meaning extended to temporal length (long periods of time), while the idea of aging and maturity gave rise to the sense of seniority or authority. The simplified character 长 was adapted from the cursive script of 長, streamlining the strokes and removing the explicit hair and figure imagery, but it preserves both pronunciations and their associated meanings in modern usage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这条河很长。
他的头发长得很快。
长城是中国著名的古迹。
孩子们在健康成长。
长时间工作对身体不好。
校长在会议上发表了讲话。
她的艺术生涯长达三十年。
经济发展是市长长期关注的重点。
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