张 meaning and stroke order
To open up; to spread; sheet of paper
How to write 张, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 张
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to open up
- to spread
- sheet of paper
- classifier for flat objects, sheet
- classifier for votes
How 张 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bow.
弓 gives the meaning and 长 hints at the sound.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 张
張 starts with a bow 弓 (gōng) on the left, the meaning part, and 长 (cháng) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture pulling a bow string long, stretching it open, and you have 张 (zhāng): to stretch or spread.
In everyday speech 张 is most often a measure word for flat things like paper, tables, beds, tickets, and photos. It also appears in words about stretching or tension, such as 紧张 (jǐnzhāng, nervous) and 夸张 (kuāzhāng, exaggerated). Example: 我买了两张票。(Wǒ mǎi le liǎng zhāng piào.) I bought two tickets.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as the traditional 長 or mix up 张 (zhāng) with 涨 (zhǎng, to rise, as in prices), which has the water radical 氵 and a third tone. Also remember the bow 弓 is on the left, not 长 alone.
Common words with 张
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 紧张 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; keyed up | HSK 3 |
| 主张 | zhǔzhāng | to advocate; to stand for | HSK 3 |
| 夸张 | kuāzhāng | to exaggerate; overstated; exaggerated | HSK 7-9 |
| 扩张 | kuòzhāng | expansion; dilation | HSK 7-9 |
| 开张 | kāizhāng | to open a business; first transaction of a business day | HSK 7-9 |
| 慌张 | huāngzhāng | flustered; agitated | HSK 7-9 |
| 张扬 | zhāngyáng | to display ostentatiously; to bring out into the open | HSK 7-9 |
| 张贴 | zhāngtiē | to post (a notice); to advertise | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸张 | shēnzhāng | to uphold (e.g. justice or virtue); to promote | HSK 7-9 |
| 东张西望 | dōngzhāng-xīwàng | to look in all directions (idiom); to glance around | HSK 7-9 |
| 张灯结彩 | zhāngdēng-jiécǎi | to be decorated with lanterns and colored banners (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 张开 | zhāngkāi | to open up; to spread | |
| 张嘴 | zhāngzuǐ | to open one's mouth (to speak, esp. to make a request); to gape | |
| 嚣张 | xiāozhāng | rampant; unbridled |
张 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 张
Learning 张 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 张
How many strokes are in 张?
张 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 张 mean?
张 (zhāng) means to open up; to spread; sheet of paper. A common word with it is 紧张 (jǐnzhāng), meaning "nervous; keyed up".
How do you pronounce 张?
张 is pronounced zhāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 张?
The radical of 张 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 张 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 张?
The traditional form of 张 is 張. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 张 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 张 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 张 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Which nouns use 张 as a measure word?
Use 张 for things with a flat surface: 一张纸 (a sheet of paper), 一张桌子 (a table), 一张床 (a bed), 一张照片 (a photo), 一张脸 (a face). It is also used for votes, as in 一张票.
Is 张 a common surname?
Yes. 张 (Zhāng) is one of the most common Chinese family names, so you will see it often in names like 张老师 (Teacher Zhang).