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粗壮 (cū zhuàng) — thick and strong; burly (of body, limbs, trees, etc.); deep and resonant (of voice)

Definition

Describes a physical build or form that is thick and sturdy — limbs, tree trunks, voices. Pairs 粗 (thick) with 壮 (strong/robust), more concrete and physical than 高大.

adjective
thick and strongburly (of body, limbs, trees, etc.)deep and resonant (of voice)

Examples

  • 粗壮，。
    Tā cháng dé hěn cū zhuàng, lì qi hěn dà.
    He is very burly and strong.
  • 粗壮。
    Zhè kē shù de shù gàn fēi cháng cū zhuàng.
    The trunk of this tree is very thick and strong.
  • 粗壮，。
    Tā de shēng yīn hěn cū zhuàng, tīng qǐ lái hěn yǒu lì liàng.
    His voice is deep and resonant, sounds very powerful.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

粗cūthick
壮zhuàngstrong

粗 gives thickness and 壮 gives strength, meaning thick and strong.

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě粗cū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

粗 pairs 米 (rice), which points to its meaning, with 且, which gives a clue to its sound.

Open 粗 →

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 壯; 壮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
士士shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán壯zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壯 uses 士 to hint at the meaning and 爿 for the sound; the simplified 壮 is a later abbreviation.

Open 壮 →
Appears in
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