支 zhī branch
branch; to support; to sustain; to pay
How to remember 支: 十 ten + 又 again = branch. The boy counts to ten for hide and seek, then again to be safe, grabs the lowest branch and climbs out of sight.
Component breakdown
支 = 十 ten + 又 again
- 十 ten
- 又 again
The boy counts to ten for hide and seek, then again to be safe, grabs the lowest branch and climbs out of sight.
How it came to be
A hand holding a piece of branch, cut from a tree. It is the piece taken off, not the tree, so anything that comes off a main line uses this shape.
How it is used
- To support / prop / pay out, plus a measure word - 支持 (zhīchí) support, 支付 (zhīfù) pay, 一支笔 (yì zhī bǐ) a pen.
- 支 counts long thin objects (pens, cigarettes, songs, armies/teams).
- 支出 (zhīchū) expenditure; 支撑 (zhīchēng) prop up/sustain.
Characters built with 支
Words with 支
- 支持zhīchísustainHSK 4
- 支付zhīfùto pay (money)HSK 4
- 支出zhīchūto spendHSK 6
- 支撑zhīchēngto prop upHSK 6
- 分支fēnzhībranch (of company, river etc)HSK 7
- 开支kāizhīexpendituresHSK 7
- 支流zhīliútributary (river)HSK 7
- 支票zhīpiàocheck (bank)HSK 7
- 收支shōuzhīcash flowHSK 7
- 支援zhīyuánto provide assistanceHSK 8
- 支架zhījiàtrestleHSK 8
- 支柱zhīzhùmainstayHSK 8
- 支配zhīpèito controlHSK 8
- 透支tòuzhīto overdrawHSK 9
Example sentences
- 这支笔不好使。 Zhè zhī bǐ bù hǎo shǐ.This pen isn't easy to use.
- 他手里拿着一支香蕉。 Tā shǒu lǐ názhe yì zhī xiāngjiāo.He's holding a banana in his hand.
- 这个月的生活开支减少了。 Zhège yuè de shēnghuó kāizhī jiǎnshǎo le.Living expenses for this month have decreased.
- 我精神上支持你。 Wǒ jīngshén shang zhīchí nǐ.I'll give you mental support.