Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

political; politics; government

Chinese: 政治、政府事务。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “zheng” becomes a different word in each tone. 政 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 政府zhèng fǔgovernment
  • 政治zhèng zhìpolitics; political
  • 政策zhèng cèpolicy
  • 行政xíng zhèngadministration; (attributive) administrative; executive
  • 财政cái zhèngpublic finance; government finance

Example Sentence

政府正在修建新的地铁。Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài xiū jiàn xīn de dì tiě.The government is building a new subway.

政府Zhèng fǔgovernmentzhèngfirst month of the lunar yzàiat修建xiū jiànto buildxīnnewdeof地铁dì tiěunderground railway

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

正 (upright, correct) plus 攵 (a hand with a rod, to direct/act): to set affairs straight by authority — ‘government, politics, administration; political affairs’ (政府, 政治).

A way to remember it

Setting things right (正) by authority (攵) — government.