正宗

zhèngzōng

adjective HSK 7 #14,218

Meanings

1 authentic; genuine; orthodox
2 the real deal

Characters

correct; proper; main

school; sect; lineage

The correct (正) lineage/school (宗) — the authentic original, not an imitation.

Examples

这家店的四川菜非常正宗。

Zhè jiā diàn de Sìchuān cài fēicháng zhèngzōng.

This restaurant's Sichuan food is very authentic.

你想吃正宗的意大利披萨吗？

Nǐ xiǎng chī zhèngzōng de Yìdàlì pīsà ma?

Do you want to eat authentic Italian pizza?

Tips

usage

正宗 is the go-to word for 'authentic' when it comes to food, martial arts, crafts, and cultural traditions. Restaurant owners love to advertise 正宗川菜 (authentic Sichuan) or 正宗兰州拉面 (authentic Lanzhou noodles). It originally referred to the orthodox lineage of a Buddhist or Daoist school.

Stroke Order

正 zhèng

宗 zōng