拯 (zhěng) — to save, to rescue (bound form, used in compounds like 拯救)

Definition

拯 (zhěng) is a bound form meaning 'to save/rescue' — it never stands alone and only appears in compounds like 拯救 ('to rescue, to save'). Use 救 by itself for the everyday verb.

bound form
to saveto rescue (bound form, used in compounds like 拯救)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Yī shēng men quán lì zhěng jiù shāng zhě.
    The doctors did their best to save the injured.
  • 。
    Zhè cì zhěng jiù xíng dòng fēi cháng chéng gōng.
    This rescue operation was very successful.
  • 。
    Dà jiā dōu chēng zàn tā shì rén mín de zhěng jiù zhě.
    Everyone praises him as a savior of the people.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

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

拯 is built from 手, which marks a hand-related action, and 丞, which supplies the sound.

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