張 meaning and stroke order
To display; to expand, to open; to stretch; a sheet of paper
How to write 張, stroke by stroke
11 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 張
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to open up
- to spread
- sheet of paper
- classifier for flat objects, sheet
- classifier for votes
How 張 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bow.
弓 gives the meaning and 長 hints at the sound.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 張
張 combines 弓 (bow) on the left with 長 (cháng, long) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture pulling a bow string long and wide to remember the idea of stretching and opening.
張 is very common as a measure word for flat things like paper, tables, beds, tickets and photos. It also appears in words about stretching or spreading, such as 紧張 (jǐnzhāng, nervous) and 夸張 (kuāzhāng, to exaggerate). Example: 一張紙 (yì zhāng zhǐ) a sheet of paper.
Common mistake: Learners often read 張 as cháng or zhǎng because of its sound component 長, but 張 is always first tone zhāng. Also do not confuse it with 長 alone: 張 has the bow 弓 on the left.
Common words with 張
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 緊張 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; keyed up | HSK 3 |
| 主張 | zhǔzhāng | to advocate; to stand for | HSK 3 |
| 誇張 | kuāzhāng | to exaggerate; overstated; exaggerated | HSK 7-9 |
| 擴張 | kuòzhāng | expansion; dilation | HSK 7-9 |
| 開張 | kāizhāng | to open a business; first transaction of a business day | HSK 7-9 |
| 慌張 | huāngzhāng | flustered; agitated | HSK 7-9 |
| 張揚 | zhāngyáng | to display ostentatiously; to bring out into the open | HSK 7-9 |
| 張貼 | zhāngtiē | to post (a notice); to advertise | HSK 7-9 |
| 伸張 | shēnzhāng | to uphold (e.g. justice or virtue); to promote | HSK 7-9 |
| 東張西望 | dōngzhāng-xīwàng | to look in all directions (idiom); to glance around | HSK 7-9 |
| 張燈結彩 | zhāngdēng-jiécǎi | to be decorated with lanterns and colored banners (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 張開 | zhāngkāi | to open up; to spread | |
| 張嘴 | zhāngzuǐ | to open one's mouth (to speak, esp. to make a request); to gape | |
| 囂張 | xiāozhāng | rampant; unbridled |
Characters that contain 張
Learning 張 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 張
How many strokes are in 張?
張 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 張 mean?
張 (zhāng) means to display; to expand, to open; to stretch; a sheet of paper. A common word with it is 紧张 (jǐnzhāng), meaning "nervous; keyed up".
How do you pronounce 張?
張 is pronounced zhāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 張?
The radical of 張 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 張 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 張?
張 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 张, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 張 a common Chinese surname?
Yes. 張 (Zhāng) is one of the most common surnames in China, often romanized as Zhang or Chang. People sometimes describe it as 弓長張 (gōng cháng Zhāng) to clarify which Zhang they mean.
What kinds of things take 張 as a measure word?
Use 張 for objects with a flat surface, such as 一張桌子 (a table), 一張床 (a bed), 一張票 (a ticket) and 一張照片 (a photo). It can also count faces and mouths, as in 一張臉 (a face).