張 means “stretch, spread, put up”
はる · haru
Also: counter for bows & stringed instruments, put up (tent)
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- はる
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- チョウ
JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 5 · 11 strokes
The story
A bow (弓) beside long (長): drawing the string long and tight. 張る is to stretch or put up, like a tent, or ice forming over a pond, and it hides in everyday words: 頑張る is to hang in there, and 出張 is a business trip.
Used in 頑張る (ganbaru, to do one's best), 出張 (shucchou, business trip), and 主張 (shuchou, claim/assertion)
More from Grow & Wane
- 拡 expand
- 盛 heap up
- 興 interest
- 縮 shrink
- 充 fill
- 隆 rise
- 茂 grow thick
- 繁 thriving
- 尽 run out
- 膨 swell
- 殖 multiply
- 騰 soar
Learn 張 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji
Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.