扎扎实实 (zhā zhā shí shí) — solid and thorough; down-to-earth; steady and reliable (of work, study, or progress)

Definition

An adverbial idiom meaning 'solidly and thoroughly' — used to stress that work, study, or preparation is done carefully and reliably, not carelessly.

bound form
solid and thoroughdown-to-earthsteady and reliable (of work, study, or progress)

Examples

  • 扎扎实实，。
    Tā zuò shì zhā zhā shí shí, cóng bù mǎ hu.
    He works in a thorough and steady way, never careless.
  • 扎扎实实。
    Wǒ men dé zhā zhā shí shí dì dǎ hǎo jī chǔ.
    We need to lay a solid foundation thoroughly.
  • 扎扎实实，。
    Jīng guò zhā zhā shí shí de zhǔn bèi, kǎo shì hěn shùn lì.
    After thorough preparation, the exam went very smoothly.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

扎扎
扎zhā扎zhā
实实
实shí实shí

The ideas of 扎 and 实 together give firmness and solidity; 扎扎实实 intensifies that sense.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ扎zhā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扎 is built from 手 (hand) and 乙, which gives the sound.

Open 扎 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ扎zhā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扎 is built from 手 (hand) and 乙, which gives the sound.

Open 扎 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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