众 (zhòng) — (bound form) crowd; multitude (of people); (bound form) numerous; many
Definition
众 is a bound form meaning 'many' or 'crowd' — it never stands alone, only inside words like 观众, 群众, 众多. Think of it as a building block for 'the masses / a multitude.'
bound form
crowdmultitude (of people)numerousmany
Examples
- 。Hěn duō guān zhòng dōu gǔ zhǎng le.Many audience members applauded.
- 。Zán men yào yī kào qún zhòng de lì liàng.We must rely on the strength of the masses.
- 。Zhè ge chéng shì yǒu zhòng duō měi shí.This city has numerous delicious foods.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 眾; 众 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 眾 shows three people under a sun-like shape, meaning a crowd gathered under the sun; the simplified 众 is a later shorthand.
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