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震荡 (zhèn dàng) — to shake, to jolt (physically or figuratively)

Definition

Used for strong, sustained shaking — physical (buildings, markets) or figurative (society, emotions). More violent and prolonged than 震动, and more physical than 震撼 (which leans emotional).

verb
to shaketo jolt (physically or figuratively)

Examples

  • 震荡。
    Jīng jì wēi jī dǎo zhì quán qiú shì chǎng zhèn dàng.
    The economic crisis caused global markets to shake.
  • 震荡。
    Bào zhà chǎn shēng de chōng jī bō ràng zhěng dòng lóu zhèn dàng.
    The shockwave from the explosion shook the entire building.
  • 震荡。
    Zhè ge xiāo xi ràng tā de nèi xīn jù liè zhèn dàng.
    This news made his heart jolt violently.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

震zhènshake
荡dàngsway

震 (shake) and 荡 (sway) together describe a jolting motion.

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
雨雨yǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
辰
辰chén震zhèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

震 combines 雨 (rain) with 辰 (chén), which gives the sound; 雨 is the part associated with the character’s meaning.

Open 震 →

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 蕩; 荡 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 荡 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 蕩; in others it is 盪.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
湯
湯tāng蕩dàng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

About the traditional form 蕩: it is made of 艹 (grass, written fully as 艸) and 湯, which gives the sound. The simplified 荡 is only a later shorthand.

Open 荡 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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