About
The character 长 has two distinct pronunciations, corresponding to its roles as an adjective meaning "long" and a verb meaning "to grow" or "to develop". The traditional form 長 originally depicted an elderly person with long hair and a walking stick, visually connecting the physical trait of lengthy hair to the biological processes of aging and growth. From physical length, the meaning extended to denote long durations of time. Meanwhile, the association with aging and maturity led to a secondary sense of an elder, senior, or leader. The modern simplified form streamlines the traditional structure into a more abstract set of strokes, losing the clear visual references to hair and figure but preserving the dual semantic and phonetic functions in contemporary use.
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。