zhēn​jī

track down

zhēn spy Simplified

Components

Meaning component
rén person

person

Sound component
zhēn, zhēng virtuous

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

jī, qī, qì to sew in close stitches Simplified

Components

Meaning component
silk

thread

Sound component
to whisper

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode

zhēn spy Traditional

Components

Meaning component
rén person

person

Sound component
virtuous

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangrtaːŋs
tʰeŋ
tʰeŋs

說文解字

問也。从人貞聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica

to sew in close stitches Traditional

Components

Meaning component
silk

thread

Sound component
to whisper

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-Sagarttship[tsʰ][ə]phem (a garment)
Zhengzhangsʰib

說文解字

績也。从糸咠聲。

Sources

Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-SagartZhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica