About
The character 丈 derives from an early pictographic depiction of a measuring tool, originally representing a unit of length equal to ten Chinese feet. Its contemporary form is structured from a single horizontal stroke intersected by a longer diagonal stroke, a configuration that has remained stable. While its core sense continues to relate to measurement, as in terms like 平方丈 for square zhang, it also developed secondary meanings in contexts indicating seniority or respect, such as in the compounds 丈夫 for husband and 丈人 for father-in-law, demonstrating a semantic expansion from a concrete metric to roles within social relationships.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
丈夫在做饭。
我的丈夫是医生。
我去看望丈人。
工人正在丈量土地。
方丈在寺庙里修行。
这条绳子长三丈。
丈量工作必须精确。
那位方丈的教诲深入人心。