About
The character 禛 (zhēn) is a phono-semantic compound, formed by the semantic radical 示 (shì), meaning spirit or divine, and the phonetic component 真 (zhēn). The 示 radical ties its meaning to the heavens, signifying the reception of true blessings or a sincere divine response. 禛 is best known as part of the personal name of the Yongzheng Emperor (Yinzhen), which established strict naming taboos during his reign. As a result, outside of specific historical contexts relating to imperial favor or genuine spiritual blessing, the character is rarely used in modern writing.
Etymology Hide
