挣

Character

挣 zhèng · zhēng

HSK 5Character2 readings

to struggle to get free

Radical: 扌
Strokes: 9
Structure: Left–right
Parts: 扌争
Traditional: 掙
Frequency: #2693 most common character

Practice writing

Readings and meanings

zhèngMain reading zhēngRare reading

zhèng

zheng4Main readingHSK 5

to struggle to get free CC-CEDICT
to strive to acquire CC-CEDICT
to make (money) CC-CEDICT

Words that use “挣” as zhèng

挣钱zhèng qiánto earn money by workingWordHSK 5 挣得zhèng déto earnWord

挣揣zhèng chuàito try very hard when something is difficultSee 挣扎WordUnreviewed

挣脱zhèng tuōto throw offWord

zhēng

zheng1Reading 2Rare reading

This reading is uncommon in everyday Chinese; the main reading is zhèng.

to move your body hard to get free (as in 挣扎)
to try very hard in a difficult time (as in 挣扎)

Examples

鱼在地上挣扎。
yú zài dì shàng zhēng zhá
The fish is struggling on the ground.
AI-generated sentence
他挣扎着站起来。
tā zhēng zhá zhe zhàn qǐ lái
He struggled to stand up.
AI-generated sentence
他们在困难中挣扎生活。
tā men zài kùn nan zhōng zhēng zhá shēng huó
They struggle to live in hard times.
AI-generated sentence

Words that use “挣” as zhēng

挣扎zhēng zháto try very hard when something is difficultWordHSK 7–9 垂死挣扎chuí sǐ zhēng zhádeathbed struggleWord

Stroke order

Practice writing 挣

Draw “挣” here — the faint guide shows its shape.

See all 7 words with 挣 →

Same radical 扌

All characters with 扌 →

把bǎ 打dǎ 拉lā 接jiē 提tí 报bào 指zhǐ 持chí 舉jǔ 才cái 找zhǎo 据jù

挣