zēng

曾

Character · Adjective · Noun · Verb

great-grand; surname; same as 增

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 8 examples
1.

adjective

descendant two generations below

formal

Used to describe family relationships two generations apart, e.g., great-grandparent or great-grandchild.

Wǒ我
de的
zēng曾
zǔ祖
fù父
shì是
yī一
wèi位
tuì退
xiū休
jiào教
shī师
 。

My great-grandfather was a retired teacher.

Tā她
de的
zēng曾
sūn孙
gāng刚
gāng刚
mǎn满
yī一
suì岁
 。

Her great-grandson just turned one year old.

Show 3 more examples
Wǒ我
men们
jiā家
zú族
de的
zēng曾
zǔ祖
yī一
bèi辈
céng曾
jū居
zhù住
zài在
jiāng江
nán南
shuǐ水
xiāng乡
 。

Our great-grandparent generation once lived in the water towns south of the Yangtze River.

Zēng曾
zǔ祖
mǔ母
shì是
bà爸
ba爸
de的
nǎi奶
nai奶
 。

A great-grandmother is one's father's grandmother.

Zēng曾
sūn孙
shì是
sūn孙
zi子
de的
ér儿
zi子
 。

A great-grandson is the son of one's grandson.

2.

noun

surname Zeng

A common Chinese family name.

Zēng曾
jiào教
shòu授
shì是
wǒ我
men们
xì系
de的
xì系
zhǔ主
rèn任
 。

Professor Zeng is the head of our department.

Wǒ我
shēn身
biān边
yǒu有
hěn很
duō多
péng朋
yǒu友
xìng姓
Zēng曾
 。

I have many friends with the surname Zeng.

3.

verb

same as 增; to increase

archaic

An archaic usage that is no longer commonly used in modern standard Chinese.

Gǔ古
wén文
zhōng中
zēng曾
yì益
qí其
suǒ所
bù不
néng能
 。

In classical Chinese, it means to increase what one cannot do.