ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
重
heavy; important (chóng: again)
zhòng
9 strokes · 千 over 里 in form — a person bearing a heavy sack · HSK 3
Where 重 comes from
A figure carrying a loaded sack on their back. Heavy things matter, so 'heavy' became 'important'. Read chóng, the load stacks: layer upon layer, again.
重 in Chinese culture
重要 important, 严重 serious, 体重 body weight. As chóng: 重新 anew, 重复 repeat. 重庆 Chongqing means 'double celebration' — the chóng reading built into a mega-city's name.
Example
重要 zhòngyào — important
健康比钱更重要。
Jiànkāng bǐ qián gèng zhòngyào.
Health is more important than money.
How to remember it
Carrying a HEAVY load — what's heavy is IMPORTANT; stack it again and it's chóng, REPEAT.
重 flips meaning by tone alone: zhòng 'heavy/important' vs chóng 'again/layered' — context is everything.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 重
重要 zhòngyào
important
重新 chóngxīn
anew
Related characters
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