Chinese word

坐

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuò

Meaning

  • verbsit

Example

他一直坐在窗边看书。tā yì zhí zuò zài chuāng biān kàn shū

He sits by the window reading all the time.

Illustration for 坐 (sit)

More examples

他刚从床上坐起来。tā gāng cóng chuáng shàng zuò qǐ lái

He just sat up in bed.

Core concept

Settle onto support and occupy that seated position, whether the support is a chair or a moving vehicle.

Common phrases

  • 坐下zuò xià

    sit down

  • 坐着zuò zhe

    sit

  • 坐车zuò chē

    ride in a vehicle

Similar words

坐下zuò xià: Settle into a seated position.
坐着zuò zhe: Be sitting and continue in that seated state.
坐在zuò zài: Be sitting at or in a particular location.
站zhàn: Support the body upright with the feet on the ground.

Definition in Chinese

身体靠支撑物保持坐姿，既可指就座的动作（坐下），也可指持续的状态（坐着）。shēn tǐ kào zhī chēng wù bǎo chí zuò zī jì kě zhǐ jiù zuò de dòng zuò zuò xià yě kě zhǐ chí xù de zhuàng tài zuò zhe

Word origin

The written form 坐 (zuò, "sit") places two people above earth, an image of settling down that supports both taking a seat and remaining there.

Usage tips

  • For travel, Chinese uses 坐车 (zuò chē, "go by vehicle") and 坐飞机 (zuò fēijī, "go by plane"), linking the passenger's seated position with the journey.

Other meanings

  • rideverb

Opposites

  • 站着zhàn zhestandverb

Word lists with this word