震 zhèn shake
shake; quake; tremor; shocked
How to remember 震: 雨 rain + 辰 early morning = shake. Heavy rain drums on the tent in the early morning, and then the whole campsite wakes to a sudden shake.
Component breakdown
震 = 雨 rain + 辰 early morning
- 雨 rain
- 辰 early morning
Heavy rain drums on the tent in the early morning, and then the whole campsite wakes to a sudden shake.
How it is used
- Bound in modern usage, almost always appearing in 地震 dìzhèn "earthquake," its most common form.
- 震惊 zhènjīng is emotional shock - stunned by news - while 震撼 zhènhàn is a deeper, more visceral "shaken to the core," often describing powerful art or experiences (震撼人心 "deeply moving").
- 震荡 zhèndàng extends to describe instability, e.g. 市场震荡 "market turbulence."