郑重
zhèng zhòng · HSK 7
serious
⚖️ 郑 (Zheng, a place/surname) + 重 = heavy; treating a matter with full weight = solemn, serious
The key character is 重 zhòng, heavy or weighty. To act 郑重 is to give a matter its full heaviness rather than brushing it off, hence serious and solemn. The zhòng tone here is the falling 4th, same as the weight sense of 重.
重 — person 人 + east 東 (phonetic)
Originally depicted a person carrying a heavy bundle on their back, suggesting weight and burden. The 東-like element served as a phonetic component. Over time the character split into two readings: zhòng meaning 'heavy' and chóng meaning 'repeat/again'.