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质

質
zhì
noun #5,638

Meanings

  1. 1 quality
  2. 2 nature
  3. 3 substance
  4. 4 to pledge

Examples

HSK 4
这件衣服的质量很好。
Zhè jiàn yīfu de zhìliàng hěn hǎo.
The quality of this clothing is very good.
HSK 4
我们要追求高质量的生活。
Wǒmen yào zhuīqiú gāo zhìliàng de shēnghuó.
We should pursue a high-quality life.

Tips

usage
斤 axe + 贝 shell - testing the substance of things, as one tests metal.

Components

radical
贝 bèi
cowrie shell; money
Bottom cowrie-shell radical, the indexing component. Cowries were ancient currency, so 贝 marks 质 as a value/wealth character: original sense was 'pledge, hostage, collateral' - something axes were given for, paid in shells. Modern senses 'quality, substance, nature' extend from 'what something really is worth.'
semantic
厂 chǎng
cliff; shelter
Outer cliff/shelter that wraps the upper-left of 质. Originally 質 had two 斤 (axes) on top, depicting axes used as collateral pledges; in simplification the two axes flattened into 厂 + 十. The cliff here is a graphic residue of those tools, not a true shelter.
ideograph
十 shí
cross-stroke
Cross under the cliff - stylised remnant of the inner 斤 (axe-blade) from the traditional 質. In 1956 simplification the doubled axes flattened into this single cross. It functions as a graphic placeholder rather than the numeral 'ten.'

Stroke Order

质 zhì