振 meaning and stroke order
To arouse, to excite; to rouse, to shake
How to write 振, stroke by stroke
10 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 振
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to shake
- to flap
- to vibrate
- to resonate
- to rise up with spirit
- to rouse oneself
How 振 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 辰 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 振
振 is a pictophonetic character: the hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, and 辰 (chén) gives the sound. Picture a hand 扌 shaking something hard enough to make it vibrate, or shaking someone awake so they rouse themselves.
振 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears in words about physical vibration like 振动 (zhèndòng) and about lifting spirits or reviving something like 振作 (zhènzuò), 振奋 (zhènfèn) and 振兴 (zhènxīng). Example: 别难过了，振作起来。(Bié nánguò le, zhènzuò qǐlái.) Don't be sad, pull yourself together.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 振 with 震 (zhèn), which has the same sound and also relates to shaking. 震 has the rain radical 雨 and is used for earthquakes and shocks, as in 地震 (dìzhèn), while 振 with the hand radical is for vibrating or rousing, as in 振动 (zhèndòng).
Common words with 振
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 振动 | zhèndòng | to vibrate; to shake | HSK 5 |
| 振作 | zhènzuò | to bestir oneself; to pull oneself together | HSK 7-9 |
| 振奋 | zhènfèn | to stir oneself up; to raise one's spirits | HSK 7-9 |
| 振兴 | zhènxīng | to revive; to revitalize; to invigorate; to re-energize | HSK 7-9 |
| 核磁共振 | hécígòngzhèn | nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) | |
| 三振出局 | sānzhènchūjú | see 三振[san1 zhen4] | |
| 重振 | chóngzhèn | to revitalize; to restore (prestige, prosperity etc); revival; recovery | |
| 令人振奋 | lìngrénzhènfèn | inspiring; exciting | |
| 三振 | sānzhèn | to strike out; strikeout (baseball, softball) |
振 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 振
How many strokes are in 振?
振 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 振 mean?
振 (zhèn) means to arouse, to excite; to rouse, to shake. A common word with it is 振动 (zhèndòng), meaning "to vibrate; to shake".
How do you pronounce 振?
振 is pronounced zhèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 振?
The radical of 振 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 振 under this radical.
Is 振 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 振 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 振动 and 震动?
振动 (zhèndòng) usually means regular vibration or oscillation, like a phone on vibrate or a string in physics. 震动 (zhèndòng) means a strong jolt or shock, either physical or emotional, like a building shaking or news that shocks people.
How do I use 令人振奋 in a sentence?
令人振奋 (lìngrén zhènfèn) means inspiring or exciting and often describes news or results. For example, 这是一个令人振奋的消息。(Zhè shì yí ge lìngrén zhènfèn de xiāoxi.) This is inspiring news.