着
a move in chess (Taiwan pr. [zhuo2]); trick; tactic; (dialect) okay; all right; (dialect) to put in; to add; to touch; to come in contact with; to feel; to be affected by; to catch fire; to burn; (coll.) to fall asleep; (after a verb) hitting the mark; succeeding in; aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state; to wear (clothes); to contact; to use; to apply
Closest English meanings
(particle)·wear·touch·burn
The Calligrapher — Yáng Níngshì 杨凝式
Five Dynasties master bridging Tang and Song running script.
Five Dynasties calligrapher (873–954), master of running script/cursive script — known for 《韭花帖》. Five Dynasties period
Cultural Story
着 grew out of 著, to attach: things laid on, touched, alight. Classical usage marked clothes 穿着 on the body, an arrow striking its mark, and a lamp 着火 catching flame; grammar then stretched it into the ongoing particle that still sits on every modern page.
Common words & phrases
- 着急 anxious · worried · in a hurry
- 着凉 catch cold · catch a chill
- 穿着 clothing · dress · wear
- 着陆 land · touch down
- 着重 emphasize · stress · focus on
Read the story behind the character
着 juggles three pronunciations daily: you are 着急 when the train is late, 着凉 after skipping a jacket, tracking your flight's 着陆, and 着重 the key points before a deadline. Clothing tags list 穿着 advice, and chats end with 等着你的好消息 — waiting for good news.
Own this character
Purchase delivers the original SVG of this glyph, brushed by Yáng Níngshì 杨凝式, ready to place on skin, paper, or screen.