正
zhèng · right / straight💡 How to pronounce
zh → like the 'j' in 'joy' with curled tongue. èng → like 'ung' with a falling tone.
📖 The Story
正 means right or straight — the path that does not bend. The character shows a line (一) going through a target (正) — the straight path to the goal. In Chinese philosophy, '正' is the foundation of morality — walking the straight path is walking the right path.
🎬 In Culture Today
The phrase '正气' (zhèng qì) means 'righteous energy' — the moral force of a person who is truly good. In martial arts, training begins with posture — being '正' (straight and aligned).
📝 Example Sentences
他的判断是正确的。
His judgment is correct.
正义会胜利。
Justice will win.