Dictionary › 正

正

zhèng

HSK 5 Character

What 正 means

1. straight
2. upright
3. proper
4. main
5. principal
6. to correct
7. to rectify
8. exactly
9. just (at that time)
10. right (in that place)
11. mathpositive

Other readings

正 is 多音字 — it is read more than one way, and the reading changes the meaning.

• zhēngfirst month of the lunar year

Example sentences

• 正确！
  Correct!
• 她正忙。
  She's busy.
• 很正常。
  That's normal.
• 改邪归正。
  Gǎixiéguīzhèng.
  Straighten up.
• 感谢赐正。
  I stand corrected.
• 正在下雹。
  It's hailing.

Words starting with 正

• 正在zhèng zàito be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing
• 正是zhèng shìis precisely
• 正常zhèng chángnormal; regular
• 正式zhèng shìformal; official
• 正确zhèng quècorrect; sound; right; proper
• 正好zhèng hǎojust (in time); just right; just enough
• 正义zhèng yìjustice; righteousness; just; righteous; (in the titles of traditional commentaries)…
• 正当zhèng dànghonest; reasonable; fair
• 正规zhèng guīregular; according to standards
• 正经zhèng jīngdecent; honorable; proper
• 正月Zhēng yuèfirst month of the lunar year
• 正气zhèng qìhealthy atmosphere; moral spirit; unyielding integrity; probity…
• 正负zhèng fùpositive and negative
• 正如zhèng rújust as; precisely as
• 正面zhèng miànfront; obverse side; right side
• 正要zhèng yàoto be just about to; to be on the point of
• 正文zhèng wénmain text (as opposed to footnotes); main body (of a book)
• 正宗zhèng zōngorthodox school; fig. traditional; old school
• 正法zhèng fǎto execute; the law
• 正值zhèng zhíjust at the time of; honest; upright
• 正直zhèng zhíupright; upstanding; honest
• 正中zhèng zhōngmiddle; center; right in the middle or center
• 正视zhèng shìto face squarely; to meet head on; to face up to
• 正版zhèng bǎngenuine; legal; see also 盗版

Words containing 正

• 真正zhēn zhènggenuine; real; true; really; indeed
• 反正fǎn zhènganyway; in any case; to come over from the enemy's side
• 改正gǎi zhèngto correct; to amend; to put right
• 公正gōng zhèngjust; fair; equitable
• 纠正jiū zhèngto correct; to make right
• 端正duān zhèngupright; regular; proper
• 更正gēng zhèngto correct; to make a correction
• 修正xiū zhèngto revise; to amend; to rectify
• 一本正经yī běn zhèng jīng(idiom) in deadly earnest; deadpan
• 纯正chún zhèngpure; unadulterated; (of motives etc) honest
• 指正zhǐ zhèngto point out mistakes or weak points for correction; to comment; criticism
• 方正fāng zhèngclear and square; neat; square (person)
• 金正日Jīn Zhèng rìKim Jong-il (1942-2011), Dear Leader of North Korea 1982-2011
• 严正yán zhèngsternly; solemn
• 雍正Yōng zhèngYongzheng, reign name of Qing emperor (1722-1735)
• 非正式fēi zhèng shìunofficial; informal
• 中正zhōng zhèngfair and honest
• 矫正jiǎo zhèngto correct; to rectify (e.g. a physical defect such as hearing or vision); to cure
• 立正lì zhèngto stand straight; attention! (order to troops)
• 堂堂正正táng táng zhèng zhèngdisplaying strength and discipline; impressive; upright and frank
• 修正主义xiū zhèng zhǔ yìrevisionism
• 名正言顺míng zhèng yán shùnin a way that justifies the use of the term; genuine; proper
• 修正案xiū zhèng ànamendment; revised draft
• 光明正大guāng míng zhèng dà(of a person) honorable; not devious; (of a behavior) fair and aboveboard…

Characters that look like 正

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 迄qìas yet; until
• 匠jiàngcraftsman
• 丞chéngdeputy

Sounds the same

Read zhèng, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 证to admonish; variant of 证
• 政political; politics; government
• 挣to struggle to get free; to strive to acquire; to make (money)
• 症disease; illness
• 郑used in 郑重
• 怔(dialect) to stare blankly; to be in a daze; Taiwan pr. lèng
• 铮(dialect; bound form) shiny; gleaming; Taiwan pr. zhēng
• 诤to admonish; to warn sb of their errors; to criticize frankly