TongTong
Sign in

中枢 (zhōng shū) — center, pivot, hub (often figurative, referring to the core or key part of a system)

Definition

Literary/formal term for the 'center' of a system — the core point where control, power, or communication is concentrated. More abstract and written than 中心 (general 'center'), and stronger than 核心 ('core' of an idea or structure).

noun
centerpivothub (often figurative, referring to the core or key part of a system)

Examples

  • 。
    Dà nǎo shì rén tǐ de shén jīng zhōng shū.
    The brain is the nerve center of the human body.
  • 中枢。
    Zhè ge chéng shì shì quán guó de jiāo tōng zhōng shū.
    This city is the transportation hub of the whole country.
  • 中枢。
    Quán lì zhōng shū de jué cè yǐng xiǎng zhěng gè guó jiā.
    Decisions made at the power center affect the entire country.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

中zhōngcenter
枢shūpivot

Center and pivot are joined to picture a controlling core.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樞; 枢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
區
區qū樞⁰shū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 樞 combines 木 (wood) with 區 for the sound; the simplified 枢 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 枢 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.