Definitions

zhèn (noun) battle formation; troop deployment
zhèn (noun) wave; burst; spell; short duration

Etymology

Simplified form of . Depicts a formation () of soldiers in chariots ().

About

The traditional character 陣 combines the mound radical 阝 with the chariot component 車, structurally conveying the idea of chariots arranged on terrain, which originally defined its meaning as a military formation or battle array. This concrete sense of a tactical deployment gradually extended to describe any organized pattern or grouping, such as a阵雨 denoting a brief, organized period of rain. The simplified form 阵 maintains this etymological logic by substituting the traditional 車 with its simplified counterpart 车, yet continues to embody the notion of an array. Over time, the character's usage expanded beyond physical arrangements to encompass abstract temporal concepts, like a short period or episode of activity, indicating a semantic shift from spatial configurations to intermittent events or conditions.

Example Sentences Hide

刚才下了一雨。

Gāngcái xiàle yīzhèn yǔ.

It just rained for a while.

他感到一疼痛。

Tā gǎndào yīzhèn téngtòng.

He felt a burst of pain.

战士们坚守地。

Zhànshìmen jiānshǒu zhèndì.

The soldiers held their position.

这场雨来得突然。

Zhè chǎng zhènyǔ lái de tūrán.

This shower came suddenly.

公司公布了新的容。

Gōngsī gōngbùle xīn de zhènróng.

The company announced the new lineup.

风把树吹得摇晃。

Zhènfēng bǎ shù chuī de yáohuàng.

The gust of wind made the trees sway.

他在战场上摆开势。

Tā zài zhànchǎng shàng bǎi kāi zhènshì.

He deployed his formation on the battlefield.

经过一激烈的讨论,他们达成了协议。

Jīngguò yīzhèn jīliè de tǎolùn, tāmen dáchéngle xiéyì.

After a burst of intense discussion, they reached an agreement.