壮
zhuàng · HSK 7
strong
💪 壮 = 士 (warrior) + 爿 (plank); a warrior strong as a wooden beam, sturdy and magnificent
The right side 士 means warrior or scholar, the left 爿 is a plank or half of a tree split lengthwise. Together they point to robust, beam-like strength. zhuàng also starts the word 壮观 zhuàngguān, magnificent or grand.
壮 — 爿 (bed/plank, phonetic) + 士 (scholar/warrior)
A semantic-phonetic compound. 士 ('warrior, man') gives the meaning of strength and vigor, while 爿 ('plank, bed') supplies the sound. Originally describing a robust, sturdy man, it broadened to mean 'strong, robust, magnificent' in general.