(chōng) — to fill; to charge (a battery); to serve as; to act as; to pretend to be; to pose as

Definition

充 is a formal/written verb; in 充当 it means 'to serve as' (synonym 当, but more literary). Alone it most often means 'to fill / charge' (e.g. 充电) — for the 'pretend' sense the app prefers 冒充 or 假冒.

verb
to fillto charge (a battery)to serve asto act asto pretend to beto pose as

Examples

  • Qǐng bāng wǒ bǎ shǒu jī chōng shàng diàn.
    Please help me charge my phone.
  • Tā lín shí chōng dāng dǎo yóu, dài wǒ men cān guān.
    He temporarily served as a tour guide and showed us around.
  • Tā zǒng ài chōng nèi háng, qí shí shén me dōu bù dǒng.
    He always likes to pretend to be an expert, but actually knows nothing.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 𠫓𠫓𠫓a newborn
  • érstanding person

充 pairs 𠫓, a newborn, with 儿, a standing person, to picture a newborn growing to stand.

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