贞 (zhēn) — (bound form) loyal; faithful; constant; (bound form) chastity; virtue (especially of women)
Definition
Literary/formal bound form meaning 'loyal and steadfast' or 'chaste, virtuous' — used almost only in classical-style words like 忠贞, 贞洁, 贞操. It is not used alone in modern speech.
bound form
loyalfaithfulconstantchastityvirtue (especially of women)
Easily confused
- 卢lúlook-alikegourd (in compounds such as 葫芦, though 芦 is more common)
- 真zhēnsound-alikereally, truly
- 上shànglook-alike(noun) above, on, up (indicating position or location)
- 针zhēnsound-alikeneedle (sewing, pin)
- 占zhànlook-aliketo occupy, to take up (space, time, or a position)
- 珍zhēnsound-alikeprecious, valuable (bound root used in compound words)
Examples
- 。Tā shì yí wèi zhōng zhēn de zhàn shì.He is a loyal and faithful soldier.
- 。Gǔ dài shè huì fēi cháng zhòng shì nǚ xìng de zhēn jié.Ancient society placed great importance on female chastity.
- 。Zhè ge gù shi zàn yáng le tā de zhēn cāo.This story praises her chastity.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 貞; 贞 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 貞 grew from a picture of a ding tripod, later changed for divination, and its lower part became unrelated to that picture; the simplified 贞 is a shorthand.
Appears in
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