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厚重 (hòu zhòng) — thick and heavy (of an object); dignified and solemn (of character or bearing); rich and generous (of texture, flavor, or content)

Definition

厚重 pairs a physical sense ('thick and heavy,' like a book) with a figurative sense ('weighty,' of character, writing, or flavor). At HSK 7 it is most often used for dignified bearing or rich, substantial content.

adjective
thick and heavy (of an object)dignified and solemn (of character or bearing)rich and generous (of texture, flavor, or content)

Examples

  • 厚重，。
    Zhè běn shū hěn hòu zhòng, ná zhe jué de hěn chén.
    This book is thick and heavy; it feels very heavy in the hand.
  • 厚重，。
    Tā wèi rén hòu zhòng, zuò shì fēi cháng wěn zhòng.
    He is dignified and reliable; he handles things very steadily.
  • 厚重，。
    Zhè dào tāng wèi dào hòu zhòng, hē qǐ lái hěn xiāng.
    This soup has a rich flavor; it tastes very savory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

厚hòuthick
重zhòngheavy

厚 means thick and 重 means heavy, together describing something weighty and solemn.

Characters in this word

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

  • 厂厂chǎngcliff; cave on a cliff
  • 𣆪𣆪𣆪jug

The shape of 厚 puts 𣆪, a jug, beneath 厂, a cliff or cave.

Open 厚 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →
Appears in
Personality & TraitsTexture & Quality

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