Chinese word

震

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhèn

Meaning

  • verbvibrate

Example

手机在桌上震了，我赶紧去拿。shǒu jī zài zhuō shàng zhèn le wǒ gán jǐn qù ná

The phone vibrated on the table, and I hurried to get it.

Illustration for 震 (vibrate)

More examples

半夜地面突然震了一下，大家都下楼查看。bàn yè dì miàn tū rán zhèn le yí xià dà jiā dōu xià lóu chá kàn

At midnight, the ground suddenly shook once, and everyone went downstairs to check.

Core concept

A tremor traveling through something, from a machine's tiny pulses to a sudden force that leaves a person shaken.

Common phrases

  • 震得很厉害zhèn de hěn lì hài

    shake violently

  • 被震醒bèi zhèn xǐng

    be shaken awake

  • 震得响zhèn de xiǎng

    vibrate loudly

Similar words

摇yáo: Move something back and forth or from side to side with the hand or another force.
振动zhèn dòng: Vibrate in small, quick movements from inside a machine or object, sending the vibration outward.
抖dǒu: Tremble with short, strong movements, especially in a body part or small object.
颤抖chàn dǒu: Keep trembling in small movements because of cold, fear, or another strong feeling.

Definition in Chinese

持续或反复地小幅度摇动或颤动，也可指机械或电子设备发出的振动。chí xù huò fǎn fù dì xiǎo fú dù yáo dòng huò chàn dòng yě kě zhǐ jī xiè huò diàn zi shè bèi fā chū de zhèn dòng

Word origin

震 (zhèn, "to shake") uses 雨 (yǔ, "rain") + 辰 (chén, "phonetic element"), linking the character's older thunder-and-earthquake imagery with the broader idea of things being shaken.

Usage tips

  • The verb can describe a device without naming a sound, so a silent alert is still expressed as an action rather than as a noise in everyday phone talk.

Other meanings

  • shockverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word