撑 (chēng) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

撑

chēng[cheng1]Tone 1

to support, prop up, or fill to bursting

HSK 6

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撐

Guru Deep Dive

English · to support, prop up, or fill to bursting

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:16

Writing Balance Rule: Ensure the left radical (hand) is narrow and compact, leaving ample space for the right phonetic component so the character does not lean.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 撐 is simplified to 撑 by replacing the complex right-side phonetic element with 掌 (zhǎng).

1. Meaning

to support or prop up

to push or pole a boatto open or unfurl an umbrellato fill to bursting point (overeating)

VerbNeutral#physical action#support#body state

Sample Usage

撑伞
chēng sǎn
to open an umbrella
撑死
chēng sǐ
to stuff oneself to the point of bursting

2. Sound

/[ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵⁵]/Tone: 55

撑

chēngcheng1

¯(55)

=chēng

Initial Consonant

Type: Aspirated Retroflex

Sounds like: ch sound with tongue curled back

AspiratedRetroflex

Airflow Tactile Test: Both curled tongue AND explosive puff of air! Tissue MUST fly.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near hard palate, releasing a strong puff of air

Final Rhyme

eng

Vowel Group: -e vowel group

Sounds like: -eng rhymes with -ung in sung

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'uhng'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T1 (55)

5 → 5 (55)

1st Tone (High-Flat)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch held steady like a sustained musical note at the top of your vocal range.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex initial 'ch-' with the dental affricate 'c-' (which sounds like 'ts'). Remember that 'ch-' requires tongue curling.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Make a flat, high horizontal hand gesture at eye level to represent the steady, high pitch of Tone 1.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 16 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Ensure the left radical (hand) is narrow and compact, leaving ample space for the right phonetic component so the character does not lean.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 撐 is simplified to 撑 by replacing the complex right-side phonetic element with 掌 (zhǎng).

4. Components

Radical 扌 · Hand Radical (hands, physical actions)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 扌 (indicates an action performed with the hand or physical force)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 掌 (original sound: zhǎng)

The Hand radical (扌) on the left joins with the palm/hand component (掌) on the right to depict using one's hand and palm to push, brace, or prop up a heavy object.

扌 Hand radical indicating physical action
掌 Phonetic and palm-related semantic clue

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

2· Phonetic Root: 掌 (zhǎng)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the hand radical (扌) indicating physical exertion and 掌 (palm) providing the phonetic sound and reinforcement of hand usage.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referring to pushing or poling with a hand or pole, it expanded to mean supporting structures, opening umbrellas, and figuratively being stuffed or bursting.

The character bridges physical bracing with everyday idioms like feeling stuffed after a large meal.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

With your hand (扌) pressing your palm (掌) outward, you brace and prop up a falling pillar to prevent it from collapsing.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

掌

zhǎngpalm of handWithout the hand radical, it represents the palm itself.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

掌(zhǎng)

掌 is just the palm without the extra hand radical prefix on the left.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

外面下雨了，快把伞___开。

Clue: chēng

Common Learner Pitfall

Mispronouncing the initial as an unaspirated or dental sound instead of the retroflex 'ch-', or misplacing the strokes of the complex right-side component.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 撑 mean when paired with 伞 (umbrella) or 死 (to die)?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to prop up / to stuff oneself' (chēng)?

撑chēngto support, prop up, or fill to bursting

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