载 (zǎi): to record (in writing)

Meanings

1 to record (in writing)
2 to publish; to put on record
3 year

Characters

Halberd-frame 戈 (carving tool) wrapping 车 (cart) - engraving the year onto a wooden cart-tally, picture for entering an event into the record.

Examples

HSK 5

他的漫画已经连载了三年。

Tā de mànhuà yǐjīng liánzǎi le sān nián.

His comic has been serialized for three years.

HSK 7-9

这件事史书上有记载。

Zhè jiàn shì shǐshū shàng yǒu jìzǎi.

This event is recorded in the history books.

HSK 7-9

这样的机会千载难逢。

Zhèyàng de jīhuì qiānzǎi-nánféng.

Such an opportunity comes only once in a thousand years.

Tips

usage

Use zǎi for written record / publication (记载 to record, 连载 to serialize, 转载 to reprint/repost) and for the literary 'year' sense (千载难逢 once in a thousand years, 一年半载 a year or so). For physical carrying or loading, switch to the zài reading.

mistakes

Software downloads - 下载 - are standardized as zǎi in Mainland usage ('to put on record / save a copy'), even though many native speakers also say xiàzài. Both are widely heard; xiàzǎi is the dictionary standard, xiàzài is the Taiwan reading and very common in casual Mainland speech.

Components

radical

车 chē

vehicle; cart

Inner cart radical (Kangxi #159, simplified from 車). Anchors the meaning: the zài reading is to load onto or carry by vehicle (装载 to load, 载客 to carry passengers); the zǎi reading extended from carting goods to entering an event into the records. Same radical groups 辆, 转, 轮.

phonetic

哉 zāi

(literary exclamation; phonetic frame)

Outer wrapping 哉 in a contracted 6-stroke form - the standalone 哉 has 9 strokes (with an extra 口 mouth in the lower-left), but in 载 the 口 is dropped and the halberd-like frame embraces 车 directly. Provides the sound zāi/zǎi/zài. Same phonetic family as 栽 (to plant) and 裁 (to cut, to decide).