存

cún

③ + 子

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

cún (verb) to exist

cún (verb) to store; to keep; to deposit

cún (verb) to survive

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 子 represents the meaning and 才 represents the sound.

Semantic: 子 Phonetic: 才

About

The character 存 is a phono-semantic compound where 子 (child), the meaning component, sits beneath a form of 才, which supplies the sound and originally depicted a hand. This image of a child under a guiding hand suggests being cared for and kept safe, leading to core meanings of existing, living, and surviving. From these developed extended senses of storing, keeping, and depositing, such as saving money in a bank or stowing belongings for later use.

Etymology Hide

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)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我的钱存在银行。

Wǒ de qián cún zài yínháng.

My money is deposited in the bank.

他把照片存在电脑里。

Tā bǎ zhàopiàn cún zài diànnǎo lǐ.

He saved the photos on the computer.

这个文件需要保存好。

Zhège wénjiàn xūyào bǎocún hǎo.

This document needs to be kept safe.

他存活下来的机会很小。

Tā cúnhuó xiàlái de jīhuì hěn xiǎo.

His chance of surviving is very small.

这段记忆将永存我心。

Zhè duàn jìyì jiāng yǒng cún wǒ xīn.

This memory will forever remain in my heart.

他的银行存款数额巨大。

Tā de yínháng cúnkuǎn shù'é jùdà.

The amount of his bank deposit is huge.

游戏进度已经自动存档。

Yóuxì jìndù yǐjīng zìdòng cúndàng.

The game progress has been automatically saved.

我对此事心存一丝疑虑。

Wǒ duì cǐ shì xīn cún yī sī yílù.

I harbor a sliver of doubt about this matter.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ③

Component: 子

存