涨 zhǎng flood tide
flood tide; to rise in price
How to remember 涨: 氵 water + 张 stretch = flood tide. As the water creeps up the beach, the lifeguard hurries to stretch the red flag on its pole, warning families about the flood tide.
Component breakdown
涨 = 氵 water + 张 stretch
- 氵 water
- 张 stretch
- 弓 bow
- 长 long
As the water creeps up the beach, the lifeguard hurries to stretch the red flag on its pole, warning families about the flood tide.
How it is used
- Polyphone: as zhǎng it means to rise (price, water level) - 涨价 zhǎngjià "prices go up," 上涨 shàngzhǎng "to rise" (used in news about stocks, prices, water levels).
- As zhàng it means to swell or feel bloated/congested - 头昏脑涨 tóu hūn nǎo zhàng "dizzy and thick-headed," or beans/rice swelling after soaking.
- The zhǎng reading is common in everyday and financial news (涨价, 涨幅, 上涨); the zhàng reading is rarer and mostly confined to a handful of set phrases about physical swelling.