贞 zhēn virtuous
virtuous; chaste; pure; loyal
How it came to be
The fortune teller block, a crack in a heated bone, over a pot worn down into the sea shell. It meant asking the ancestors, and a straight answer is where honesty comes from.
How it is used
- Chaste/faithful/loyal - 忠贞 (zhōngzhēn) faithful and steadfast (忠贞不渝 unswervingly loyal), 贞洁 (zhēnjié) chaste, 贞操 (zhēncāo) chastity/moral integrity.
- 坚贞 (jiānzhēn) means staunch/unyielding (坚贞不屈). Historically weighted toward female chastity; carries a traditional moral flavor.