zhàng
noun #8,733

Meanings

  1. 1 to block
  2. 2 to hinder
  3. 3 obstacle

Examples

HSK 4
Zhèngfǔ wèi tuìxiū rényuán tígōng shēnghuó bǎozhàng.
The government provides livelihood guarantees for retirees.
HSK 6
Xuéxí xīn yǔyán shí, fāyīn shì zuì dà de zhàng'ài.
When learning a new language, pronunciation is the biggest obstacle.
HSK 6
Zhè tái diànnǎo chū gùzhàng le.
This computer has malfunctioned.

Tips

memory
(hill) + (chapter/badge) - a barrier like a hill.

Components

radical
mound (left-side form of 阜)
Left-side mound radical, the side form of (an earthen rampart). The indexing radical when on the left - visually identical right- stands for city, a different word. is a barrier, obstacle, screen - originally a wall of piled earth. Same mound-family: to block, danger, to guard, courtyard.
phonetic
zhāng
chapter; emblem
Right side supplies the sound: zhāng to zhàng with tone shift only. originally pictured a knife marking ornament on jade - a tally or emblem. Same phonetic family: manifest, camphor. The phonetic also adds flavour to : a marked-off zone, a clearly bounded barrier - fitting both walls and figurative obstacles (故障 malfunction, 屏障 screen).

Stroke Order

zhàng