TongTong
Sign in

正是 (zhèng shì) — exactly, precisely (used to emphasize identity, time, or reason)

Definition

正是 is an emphatic "exactly / precisely" used to confirm identity, timing, or reason (正是时候 = "just the right moment"). It highlights a match — not a correction like "actually."

verb
exactlyprecisely (used to emphasize identity, time, or reason)

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè zhèng shì wǒ men yì zhí zài zhǎo de nà běn shū.
    This is exactly the book we've been looking for.
  • ，。
    Zhèng shì yīn wèi tā de bāng zhù, wǒ men cái néng àn shí wán chéng.
    It is precisely because of his help that we could finish on time.
  • ，。
    Zuó tiān lái de nà wèi xiān sheng, zhèng shì lǐ jiào shòu.
    The gentleman who came yesterday is exactly Professor Li.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

正zhèngexactly
是shìbe

正 intensifies 是, giving 'is exactly'.

Characters in this word

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 是 →
Appears in
2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.