Definitions

héng (adjective) horizontal; across; crosswise
héng (verb) to place flat; to cross
héng (adjective) chaotic; in disorder
hèng (adjective) harsh; unreasonable

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "横" originates from the concept of a horizontal wooden beam, structurally formed by the wood radical "木" combined with the phonetic component "黄", with its traditional form "橫" featuring the element "黃" for sound. Initially denoting physical objects like crossbars or lateral orientation, its meaning broadened to encompass abstract directions such as crossing or traversing, and later developed additional connotations of willfulness or perversity, particularly in the reading "hèng", illustrating a semantic evolution that extended from tangible references to more figurative applications while maintaining its compositional integrity.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条河很宽。

Zhè tiáo hé hěn kuān.

This river is very wide.

向移动这个箱子。

Qǐng héngxiàng yídòng zhège xiāngzi.

Please move this box horizontally.

不要穿马路,很危险。

Bùyào héngchuān mǎlù, hěn wěixiǎn.

Don't cross the road recklessly; it's very dangerous.

螃蟹是着走路的动物。

Pángxiè shì héngzhe zǒulù de dòngwù.

Crabs are animals that walk sideways.

那座新建的大桥跨大江两岸。

Nà zuò xīnjiàn de dàqiáo héngkuà dàjiāng liǎng'àn.

That newly built bridge spans both banks of the great river.

事情本来很顺利,谁知又生枝节。

Shìqíng běnlái hěn shùnlì, shéi zhī yòu héngshēngzhījié.

Things were going smoothly, but unexpectedly, complications arose.

他对别人的工作总是加指责。

Tā duì biérén de gōngzuò zǒng shì héngjiā zhǐzé.

He always unreasonably criticizes other people's work.

在历史的洪流中,个人命运往往显得逆莫测。

Zài lìshǐ de hóngliú zhōng, gèrén mìngyùn wǎngwǎng xiǎnde héngnì mòcè.

In the torrent of history, an individual's fate often appears unpredictably adverse and unfathomable.