阵 meaning and stroke order
Disposition of troops; wave; spate
How to write 阵, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 4
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- 6
Meaning of 阵
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- disposition of troops
- wave
- spate
- burst
- spell
- short period of time
How 阵 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A formation 阝of soldiers 车.
Radical: 阝 (place), shared by 160 characters on this site.
How to remember 阵
The left side 阝 stands for a formation, and the right side is 车 (chē), a war chariot. Picture chariots and soldiers lined up in ranks, ready for battle: that is 阵 (zhèn), a troop formation.
Besides military words like 阵地 (zhèndì) and 阵营 (zhènyíng), 阵 is very common as a measure word for short bursts of wind, rain, sound, or feelings, often in 一阵 (yīzhèn). Example: 外面下了一阵雨。(Wàimiàn xià le yīzhèn yǔ.) It rained for a while outside.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 阵 (zhèn) with 阶 (jiē, step) or write 车 on the right as a different shape, since both share the 阝 side. Also do not mix up 阵 with 镇 (zhèn, town), which has the same sound but a metal radical.
Common words with 阵
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一阵 | yīzhèn | a burst; a fit | HSK 7-9 |
| 阵营 | zhènyíng | group of people; camp | HSK 7-9 |
| 阵容 | zhènróng | troop arrangement; battle formation | HSK 7-9 |
| 一阵子 | yīzhènzi | a while; a spell | |
| 阵亡 | zhènwáng | to die in battle | |
| 阵地 | zhèndì | (military) position; front | |
| 对阵 | duìzhèn | (of armies) to face each other, ready for battle; (sports) (of two teams) to play against | |
| 阵线 | zhènxiàn | a front (militant group); line of battle | |
| 阵子 | zhènzi | period of time | |
| 这阵子 | zhèzhènzi | now; at present | |
| 上阵 | shàngzhèn | to go into battle | |
| 阵型 | zhènxíng | formation (of a sports team, troops etc) | |
| 达阵 | dázhèn | touchdown; try (sports) | |
| 临阵 | línzhèn | just before the battle; to approach the front line |
阵 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 阵
How many strokes are in 阵?
阵 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 阵 mean?
阵 (zhèn) means disposition of troops; wave; spate. A common word with it is 一阵 (yīzhèn), meaning "a burst; a fit".
How do you pronounce 阵?
阵 is pronounced zhèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 阵?
The radical of 阵 is 阝, which carries the idea of "place". Dictionaries list 阵 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 阵?
The traditional form of 阵 is 陣. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 阵 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 阵 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 阵 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 一阵 and 一阵子?
一阵 (yīzhèn) usually describes a sudden burst of something, like 一阵风 (a gust of wind) or 一阵笑声 (a burst of laughter). 一阵子 (yīzhènzi) means a period of time, often a few days or weeks, as in 我忙了一阵子 (I was busy for a while).
Can 阵 be used in sports?
Yes. 对阵 (duìzhèn) is often used for two teams playing each other, and 阵容 (zhènróng) can mean a team's lineup. For example, 中国队对阵日本队 means China plays against Japan.