强壮
qiáng zhuàng · HSK 6
strong
💪🏋️ 强 (strong) + 壮 (robust) = double-strength combo
Both characters independently mean strong. 强 is strength or force, 壮 adds bulk and sturdiness. Together they reinforce each other like saying strong-sturdy, emphasizing physical power and solid build.
强 — bow 弓 + elong 㔾 + insect 虫
Originally written 強, depicting a type of strong-shelled insect or weevil, with 虫 (insect) as semantic and 弘 as phonetic. The meaning shifted from the insect's tough shell to the general sense of 'strong, powerful, forceful.' The form 强 is a common variant where 弘 is replaced by 弓+口.
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.