zhuàng
adjective HSK 7-9 #4,632

Meanings

  1. 1 strong; robust; sturdy
  2. 2 magnificent; grand

Examples

Tā zhǎng de hěn zhuàng.
He has a strong build.
Pùbù hěn zhuàngguān.
The waterfall is magnificent.

Tips

usage
强壮 (qiángzhuàng) = strong/sturdy. 壮观 (zhuàngguān) = magnificent. 壮丽 (zhuànglì) = majestic.

Components

radical
shì
scholar; warrior (radical)
Right radical — originally a picture of a polled axe-head, the badge of a warrior or scholar-official. Anchors in the meaning of vigour, manhood, robust prime. The combination with gives 'sturdy as split timber + manly' — hence 强壮 (strong), 壮观 (magnificent), 壮丽 (majestic).
phonetic
qiáng
split wood; bed-side (phonetic)
Left is the simplified side-form of — half of a tree split lengthwise. Supplies the sound (qiáng → zhuàng, a related rounded reading) and a faint semantic flavour of solid timber. Same component drives the phonetic in (state), (makeup), (village), (clothing) — all in the qiáng/zhuāng/zhuāng family.

Stroke Order

zhuàng