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着实 (zhuó shí) — truly, indeed (emphasizes truth or sincerity); severely, harshly (intensifies a negative situation)

Definition

An intensifier: emphasizes truth ('truly, indeed') or severity ('severely, harshly'), with a more written, weighty feel than the everyday 真 or 真的. Pairs with adjectives/verbs to stress how strongly something holds.

adverb
trulyindeed (emphasizes truth or sincerity)severelyharshly (intensifies a negative situation)

Examples

  • 着实。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shī de kè zhuó shí jīng cǎi.
    This teacher's class is truly excellent.
  • 着实，。
    Zuó wǎn de bào fēng yǔ zhuó shí měng liè, bǎ shù dōu guā dǎo le.
    Last night's storm was severely violent, even blowing down trees.
  • ，着实。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, wǒ zhuó shí chī le yì jīng.
    Hearing this news, I was truly startled.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

着zhetruly
实shíreal

着 and 实 both convey firmness or truth, so the sense is truly or severely so.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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