丈

zhàng

Definitions

zhàng (noun) measure of length (10 Chinese feet, ~3.3m)

zhàng (noun) husband

zhàng (noun) respectful term for older man

Etymology

Depicts 10 (十) hand-lengths (又): 丈 (~3 meters) is a traditional Chinese unit of length equal to 10 尺 (~0.3 meters). The current use of 丈 as "husband" is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 丈 (zhàng) originated as a combination of 十 (ten) and 又 (hand), representing ten hand-lengths and giving rise to the traditional unit of length equal to ten 尺 (around 3 meters). In modern writing, the 又 has reduced to a diagonal stroke 丿 crossing the 十. The use of 丈 to mean "husband" or to respectfully address an older man is a phonetic loan, unrelated to its original structure.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

丈夫在做饭。

Zhàngfu zài zuò fàn.

Husband is cooking.

我的丈夫是医生。

Wǒ de zhàngfu shì yīshēng.

My husband is a doctor.

我去看望丈人。

Wǒ qù kànwàng zhàngrén.

I go to visit my father-in-law.

工人正在丈量土地。

Gōngrén zhèngzài zhàngliáng tǔdì.

Workers are measuring the land.

方丈在寺庙里修行。

Fāngzhàng zài sìmiào lǐ xiūxíng.

The abbot is practicing asceticism in the temple.

这条绳子长三丈。

Zhè tiáo shéngzi cháng sān zhàng.

This rope is three zhang long.

丈量工作必须精确。

Zhàngliáng gōngzuò bìxū jīngquè.

Measurement work must be accurate.

那位方丈的教诲深入人心。

Nà wèi fāngzhàng de jiàohuì shēnrù rénxīn.

That abbot's teachings are deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丈

丈