掌 (zhǎng) — (bound form) palm of the hand; (bound form) sole (of foot or shoe); (bound form) to be in charge of; to control
Definition
掌 (zhǎng) is almost never used alone — it appears inside compounds like 手掌 (palm), 掌握 (grasp/master), and 鼓掌 (clap). The verb sense 'to be in charge of' is more formal than 负责.
bound form
palm of the handsole (of foot or shoe)to be in charge ofto control
Easily confused
- 拿nálook-aliketo hold, to take (in one's hand)
- 长zhǎngsound-alike(adjective) elder, senior in age
- 常chánglook-alikeoften; frequently
- 长zhǎngsound-alike(verb) to grow
- 撑chēnglook-aliketo support, prop up, or open (an umbrella, etc.)
- 赏shǎnglook-aliketo reward, to bestow (a gift or money from a superior to an inferior)
Examples
- 。Tā yòng shǒu zhǎng pāi le yí xià zhuō zi.He slapped the table with the palm of his hand.
- 。Nǐ yào màn màn zhǎng wò zhè xiē jì qiǎo.You need to gradually master these skills.
- ，。Yǎn chū jié shù hòu, guān zhòng rè liè gǔ zhǎng.After the performance, the audience burst into warm applause.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.
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