zhèn​fèn HSK7

invigorate

zhèn raise

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components

Meaning component
shou, shǒu hand

is a component form of .

Sound component
chén early morning

Character Evolution

Oracle form
Oracle Bone ~1250-1000 BC
Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Jin 266-316 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttsyintər numerous; majestic
tsyinHtər-s shake

說文解字

《說文》:“振,舉救也。从手,辰聲。一曰奮也。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica

fèn strive, exert effort Simplified

Simplified form of . Depicts a bird () lifting off in a field (), starting to fly.

Components

Simplified component
dà, dài big

Shorthand for the top part of the traditional character .

Iconic component
tián field

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.291
Readings & variants
Unicode

fèn strive, exert effort Traditional

Depicts a bird () lifting off in a field (), starting to fly.

Components

clothes

The purpose of this component is unclear.

Iconic component
zhuī, cuī, wéi bird
Iconic component
tián field

Character Evolution

Bronze form
Bronze Early Western Zhou ~1000 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Warring States (Chu) 475-221 BC
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartpjunH(Cə.)pə[r]-s (W dialect)spread wings and fly

說文解字

《說文》:“奮,翬也。从在田上。《詩》曰:‘不能奮飛。’”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫季旭昇《說文新證》p.291
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica