(zhēn) - really, truly, genuine in Mandarin
zhēnTraditional: 真
HSK 2
#133 of 5,000 Core 1000
Translation
really, truly, genuine
Word origin
真 (zhēn) 'real, true' is a character whose early form is debated; it is commonly analysed as depicting a person or vessel and was associated with the idea of a genuine substance. It now means 'true, genuine, really'.
- Origin
- ideograph
- Root
- 真 (zhēn), graph of disputed early composition
Other proposed origins
- Shuowen links 真 to a Daoist immortal ascending; modern palaeography reads the seal form as a ladle 匕 over 鼎 (a tripod vessel). The components are debated. (匕 + 鼎 (one reading) / 真)
Stroke order
真
Examples
。
You are truly kind.
？
Really?
。
This is real.
。
You are really clever.
。
It is really cold outside.
真 (zhēn) means really, truly, genuine. It is used as a adverb in everyday Mandarin speech.
Appears in 7 words
Multi-character compounds in the corpus that contain 真.
Used in
Stories
(7)Grammar articles
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