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主张 (zhǔ zhāng) — (verb) to advocate; to maintain; to hold a view; (noun) view; position; proposition; standpoint

Definition

Both a verb ('to advocate, hold a view') and a noun ('view, position'), more active and assertive than 观点 (a neutral point of view) and firmer than 立场 (one's stance in a debate). Often pairs with 提出 to introduce a proposal.

verb
to advocateto maintainto hold a view
noun
viewpositionpropositionstandpoint
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 主张。
    Tā zhǔ zhāng jiǎn shǎo gōng zuò shí jiān.
    He advocates reducing working hours.
  • 主张。
    Zhè shì yí xiàng zhèng què zhǔ zhāng.
    This is a correct proposition.
  • 主张。
    Wǒ men zhǔ zhāng tōng guò duì huà jiě jué wèn tí.
    We advocate solving problems through dialogue.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

主zhǔhold a view
张zhāngpromote

主 and 张 both carry a sense of holding or promoting a view, giving 'advocate' or 'position'.

Characters in this word

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 張; 张 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
長
長cháng張zhāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 張 combines 弓, a bow, with 長, which points to the sound; the simplified 张 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 张 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract ConceptsAttitudes & Opinions

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