障 (zhàng) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

障

zhàng[zhang4]Tone 4

to block

HSK 6

Guru Deep Dive

English · to block

Cached lesson

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:13

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (阝/⻖) is narrower and occupies about one-third of the width, leaving the right side (章) wider, taller, and structurally more complex.

1. Meaning

to block, hinder, or obstruct

barrierobstacleshield

Verb / NounFormal / Literary#action#obstacles#defense

Sample Usage

前方有障碍物。
qiánfāng yǒu zhàng'àiwù.
There is an obstacle ahead.
崇山峻岭阻挡了去路。
chóngshān jùnlǐng zǔdǎng le qùlù.
Towering mountains blocked the way forward.

2. Sound

/[ʈʂɑŋ⁵¹]/Tone: 51

障

zhàngzhang4

`(51)

=zhàng

Initial Consonant

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' (as in 'ong' or nasalized 'ung')

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

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

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and plunges sharply down, exactly like shouting a sudden 'No!' or giving a firm command.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex initial 'zh-' with the dental affricate 'z-' (e.g. zhang vs zang). Make sure your tongue is curled backward.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, forceful karate chop downwards from head height to waist level, reflecting the falling tone 4.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 13 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (阝/⻖) is narrower and occupies about one-third of the width, leaving the right side (章) wider, taller, and structurally more complex.

4. Components

Radical ⻖ · Mound Radical (Mound, dam, earth barrier, or hill)

Semantic Clue (形旁): ⻖ (Indicates earthworks, mounds, or barriers blocking a path)

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

An artificial mound of earth (阝) combined with a clear design or banner (章) to form a structured barricade or obstacle that blocks the way.

⻖ Mound or wall acting as a barrier
章 Provides the pronunciation 'zhàng' and signifies patterned layout

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

14· Phonetic Root: 章 (zhāng)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined the left-side mound symbol (阝 representing an earth embankment or dyke) with the right-side phonetic element (章), denoting an earthen barrier raised to obstruct passage.

Semantic Evolution: From a physical mound or dam that stops water or movement, it generalized into any obstruction, shield, block, or hindrance in abstract and physical contexts.

The left radical '阝' when placed on the left actually represents '阜' (fù), meaning a large mound or hill.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine walking up a tall earthy MOUND (阝) when suddenly you bump into a massive, patterned banner or STOP SIGN (章) planted right in the center, completely BLOCKING your path (障).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

樟

zhāngcamphor treeReplaces the mound radical with the tree radical (木) for camphor wood.

漳

zhāngZhang RiverReplaces the mound radical with the water radical (氵) for a river name.

蟑

zhāngcockroachAdds the insect radical (虫) to represent pests.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

胀(zhàng)

胀 uses the flesh/moon radical (月) meaning bloated or swollen, whereas 障 uses the mound radical (阝) meaning blocked or obstructed.

掌(zhǎng)

掌 has a hand component (手) meaning palm, whereas 障 has the mound component (阝) meaning barrier.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

大雾严重地[___]了飞行员的视线。

Clue: zhàng

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the character with 胀 (zhàng, swollen) because they sound identical, leading to incorrect radical selection in writing.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 障 mean when you see it in words like 障碍 (obstacle)?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to block or obstruct' (zhàng) using the mound radical?

障zhàngto block

Speed:

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