shake, quake, tremor

JLPT N4 15 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (zhèn) primarily means 'to shake' or 'to tremble,' often used to describe physical shaking such as an earthquake or a trembling voice. It can also convey a strong emotional impact or shock.

Common Collocations

  • 地震 (dìzhèn): earthquake
  • 震动 (zhèndòng): vibration, shaking
  • 震撼 (zhènhàn): shock, impact

Usage Notes

When used to describe natural phenomena like earthquakes, emphasizes the physical shaking. In emotional contexts, it often describes trembling caused by fear, nervousness, or shock. It is more formal and literary compared to similar verbs like (dǒu) which also means 'to shake' but is more colloquial.

Common Confusions

Do not confuse with 震惊 (zhènjīng), which means 'to be shocked' emotionally; alone focuses on the physical or metaphorical shaking aspect.

Example Sentences

When the earthquake happened, the whole city was shaking.

His voice trembled slightly because of nervousness.

The shocking scenes in this movie left the audience unsettled for a long