(zhàn) — to occupy, to take up (space, time, or a position)

Definition

占 (zhàn) is the plain base verb 'to occupy / take up' (a seat, time, or share). 占用 and 占据 are more formal and emphasize taking space or a resource.

verb
to occupyto take up (space, time, or a position)

Examples

  • Zhè ge zuò wèi yǐ jīng yǒu rén zhàn le.
    This seat is already taken.
  • Xiě bào gào zhàn le wǒ yí gè xià wǔ.
    Writing the report took up my whole afternoon.
  • Wài zī zhàn le gōng sī bǎi fēn zhī sān shí de gǔ fèn.
    Foreign capital occupies thirty percent of the company's shares.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 佔; 占 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full asrén
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhànzhàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 佔 has a person part 亻 and a sound part 占; the simplified 占 is a later abbreviation.

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