Definitions

zhěng (adjective) orderly; in good order
zhěng (adjective) whole; complete; entire
zhěng (verb) to repair; to fix; to mend
zhěng (adverb) exactly

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character is a phono-semantic compound, where the component (to arrange, to order) provides the meaning and gives the sound. itself is built from (a tied bundle) and (a hand holding a stick, indicating an action), together evoking the act of organizing. The whole character suggests binding things together correctly, leading to its range of uses: as adjectives and adverbs meaning 'whole, complete, entire, exactly,' and as verbs meaning 'arrange, repair, rectify, tidy up.' This combination thus encompasses both the physical action of ordering and the resulting state of completeness.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我吃了个苹果。

Wǒ chīle zhěnggè píngguǒ.

I ate the whole apple.

理了她的房间。

Tā zhěnglǐle tā de fángjiān.

She cleaned up her room.

书架上书本很齐。

Shūjià shàng shǔběn hěn zhěngqí.

The books on the shelf are very neat.

天都在工作。

Tā zhěngtiān dōu zài gōngzuò.

He works all day.

我们修了旧房子。

Wǒmen zhěngxiūle jiù fángzi.

We renovated the old house.

公司需要顿管理。

Gōngsī xūyào zhěngdùn guǎnlǐ.

The company needs to rectify its management.

件事让我很困惑。

Zhěng jiàn shì ràng wǒ hěn kùnhuò.

The whole matter makes me very confused.

他们正在合各种资源。

Tāmen zhèngzài zhěnghé gè zhǒng zīyuán.

They are integrating various resources.