HanziGuru.彰 · zhāng
彰
zhāng[zhang1]Tone 1

clear, conspicuous, manifest

HSK 7
Guru Deep Dive

English · clear, conspicuous, manifest

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:14
Writing Balance Rule: The left side (Lì 彡) and the right side (Zhāng 章) must share the horizontal space evenly, keeping the three slanting strokes on the left compact and aligned.
1. Meaning

conspicuous, manifest, distinct

to show clearlyto displayglorious
Adjective / VerbFormal / LiteraryBound morpheme#perception#visibility#expression
Sample Usage
  • 表彰
    biǎozhāng
    to commend, to cite (an award)
  • 相得益彰
    xiāng dé yì zhāng
    to bring out the best in each other
2. Sound
/[ʈʂäŋ⁵⁵]/Tone: 55
彰
zhāngzhang1
++
¯(55)
=zhāng
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
zhang
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
zh
Type: Unaspirated Retroflex
Sounds like: j/dr retroflex sound
UnaspiratedRetroflex
Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. Tongue curled up. Tissue stays still.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near hard palate
Final Rhyme
ang
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: -ang rhymes with 'ahng' (open vowel ending in a nasal 'ng')
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ahng'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high level pitch (55), comparable to sustaining a high musical note in speech.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing 'zhāng' with 'zhǎng' (Tone 3) or 'zhàng' (Tone 4). Make sure to keep the pitch high and level without dipping.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 1 is a high, flat pitch. Hold your hand steady and flat at eye level, like a drone hovering smoothly at high altitude.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 14 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left side (Lì 彡) and the right side (Zhāng 章) must share the horizontal space evenly, keeping the three slanting strokes on the left compact and aligned.

4. Components

Radical 彡 · Bristle Radical (bristles, hair, feathers, decorative patterns)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 彡 (indicates decorative patterns, light patterns, or visual clarity)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 章 (original sound: zhāng)

The left side is the bristled-surface or feather pattern radical (彡), and the right side is 'Zhāng' (章) which itself means chapter or badge. Together they denote something beautifully decorated and thoroughly clear or conspicuous.

  • 彡 bristles/decorations
  • 章 chapter/badge/bright
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the phonetic '章' (bright, clear) and '彡' (stripes or patterns), depicting clear markings or shining patterns that stand out visibly.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referring to clear patterns, it expanded to mean manifest, prominent, and to commend or praise openly.

  • Often used in classical Chinese literature to describe virtuous deeds that shine brightly before the public.
6. Sinosphere
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

A badge of honor (章) covered in brilliant decorative stripes and feathers (彡) makes the achievement entirely clear and conspicuous (彰) to everyone.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
章
zhāngchapterPhonetic Core (声旁)
商
shāngcommerce, merchant, consult, Shang Dynasty+ 冏 (bright)
障
zhàngto block+ 阝 (city)
嫜
zhānghusband's father+ 女 (woman)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
障(zhàng)
Check the left side: 彡 means brilliant patterns (彰), while 阝 means a wall or hill creating a barrier (障).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
我们要大力[___]尊师重教的良好风尚。
Clue: zhāng
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the left radical 彡 with similar components or mixing up the phonetic family characters like 障 and 樟.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does the formal literary character 彰 mean when you see it in words like 表彰?
Production: How do you write the character for 'conspicuous/manifest' (zhāng) using the bristle radical and the chapter character?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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