佐证 (zuǒ zhèng) — evidence, proof, corroboration

Definition

A formal, written term for supporting evidence that backs up or confirms an existing claim. Stronger and more literary than everyday 证据, and used as the act of confirming as well as the thing itself.

noun
evidenceproofcorroboration

Examples

  • 佐证。
    Zhè xiē wén jiàn kě yǐ zuò wéi zuǒ zhèng.
    These documents can serve as evidence.
  • 佐证。
    Tā de shuō fǎ quē fá zuǒ zhèng.
    His claim lacks evidence.
  • 佐证。
    Jǐng fāng zhǎo dào le zhòng yào de zuǒ zhèng.
    The police found important evidence.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

佐zuǒcorroborate
证zhèngevidence

佐 (corroborate) and 证 (evidence) combine to mean corroborating evidence.

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
左
左zuǒ佐zuǒ
Same sound today

佐 combines 亻, a person, with 左, which provides the sound zuǒ.

Open 佐 →

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 證; 证 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
登
登dēng證zhèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 證 pairs 言, a words/speech part, with 登 as a sound clue; the simplified 证 is a later shorthand.

Open 证 →

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