曾

zēng, céng

丷 + 𭥴

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

céng (adverb) once; already; ever; previously

zēng (prefix) great- (in family relations)

Etymology

Pictograph of a cooking pot. Based on the original meaning "cauldron; cooking pot", now written as 甑. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

曾 originated as a pictograph of a traditional bamboo or wooden food steamer set over a pot. Its modern form, 丷 above, 田 in the middle, and 曰 below, stems from stylized remnants of the original vessel illustration. Through phonetic borrowing, it came to function as an adverb meaning "previously" or "once". It also serves as a kinship prefix indicating a great-grandparent or great-grandchild, denoting a generational gap one step beyond grandparents.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他曾是我的朋友。

Tā céng shì wǒ de péngyou.

He was once my friend.

我曾经住在上海。

Wǒ céngjīng zhù zài Shànghǎi.

I once lived in Shanghai.

她曾说过那句话。

Tā céng shuō guò nà jù huà.

She once said that sentence.

我们曾一起去旅行。

Wǒmen céng yìqǐ qù lǚxíng.

We once traveled together.

他曾经是一位著名的医生。

Tā céngjīng shì yī wèi zhùmíng de yīshēng.

He was once a famous doctor.

尽管他曾犯过错误，但大家依然原谅了他。

Jǐnguǎn tā céng fàn guò cuòwù, dàn dàjiā yīrán yuánliàng le tā.

Although he once made mistakes, everyone still forgave him.

这座城市曾经历过多次战争，如今却繁荣昌盛。

Zhè zuò chéngshì céng jīnglì guò duō cì zhànzhēng, rújīn què fánróng chāngshèng.

This city once experienced many wars, but now it is prosperous.

倘若你曾细心观察，便会发现自然界中蕴藏着无数奥秘。

Tǎngruò nǐ céng xìxīn guānchá, biàn huì fāxiàn zìránjiè zhōng yùncáng zhe wúshù àomì.

If you once observed carefully, you would discover countless mysteries hidden in nature.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丷

Component: 𭥴

曾