枕 (zhěn) — to rest one's head on
Definition
枕 (zhěn) is the VERB meaning 'to rest one's head on' — used with 着 or 在 to mark the surface (e.g. 枕着枕头). 枕头 is the NOUN, the pillow itself.
verb
to rest one's head on
Examples
- 枕。Tā xǐ huan zhěn zhe róu ruǎn de zhěn tou shuì jiào.He likes to sleep with his head resting on a soft pillow.
- 枕。Tā qīng qīng de zhěn zài zhuō zi shàng xiū xi.She gently rested her head on the table to rest.
- 枕。Hái zi zhěn zhe mā ma de gē bo shuì zháo le.The child fell asleep resting his head on his mother's arm.
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.
Sound part声符shēngfú
冘
冘yóu枕zhěn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
枕 is written with 木 (wood) beside 冘; 木 is the meaning part and 冘 the sound part.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.