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纵横 (zòng héng) — (verb) to crisscross; to move freely across (an area); (verb) to dominate; to be powerful in (a domain); (adjective) crisscrossing; sweeping; unrestrained

Definition

纵横 literally means 'warp and weft' — moving freely in all directions, or dominating a field at will. Often used in the historical phrase 合纵连横 (the Warring States alliance diplomacy), unlike 放纵 ('indulgent / letting loose').

verb
to crisscrossto move freely across (an area)to dominateto be powerful in (a domain)
adjective
crisscrossingsweepingunrestrained

Examples

  • 纵横。
    Gāo tiě xiàn lù zòng héng quán guó.
    High-speed rail lines crisscross the country.
  • 纵横，。
    Tā zòng héng shāng jiè sān shí nián, wú rén néng bǐ.
    He dominated the business world for thirty years, no one can compare.
  • 纵横。
    zòng héng De shān mài zài xī yáng xià gé wài zhuàng lì.
    The crisscrossing mountain ranges are especially magnificent under the sunset.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

纵zòngvertical
横hénghorizontal

纵 means vertical and 横 horizontal; together they describe crisscrossing or sweeping freely.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng縱zòng
Same sound today

The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 纵 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 橫; 横 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
黃
黃huáng橫héng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 橫 has 木, meaning wood, beside 黃, which supplies the sound; the simplified 横 is a later abbreviation.

Open 横 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Directions

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