长

長
cháng
HSK 2
#109 most
frequent character
length, long, forever, always
adjective
verb

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

长 is a shorthand for 長, a picture of a long-haired elder walking with a cane. It first meant 'to grow old', which led to 'long' in time and space, 'to be good at', and 'a strong point'. Read zhǎng, it means 'to grow', 'increase', or 'leader'.

Drawn as: long-haired old person; person using cane

长 as a component in other characters

meaning1 character
胀
sound8 characters
张帐胀账怅苌伥枨

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Example Sentences

这条河长得很美。
zhè tiáo hé chángdé hěnměi 。
This river is very long and beautiful.
我想要一个很长的假期。
wǒ xiǎngyào yígè hěn cháng de jiǎqī 。
I want a very long vacation.
他长得越来越高了。
tā chángdé yuèláiyuè gāo le 。
He is growing taller and taller.

Words with similar meanings

悠长yōucháng
long-lasting
This word carries a more poetic and timeless connotation, often used in literary contexts.
漫长màncháng
lengthy
This term emphasizes an extended duration, often with a sense of tedium or endurance.

Words Starting With 长

长城Chang2 chéng
the Great Wall
长江Chang2 jiāng
Changjiang river; Yangtze river
长途cháng tú
long distance

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