座 (zuò) - seat & base

座Tone 4

zuò ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

志

座 · zuò

seat;

base;

stand;

a measure word for mountains, buildings, and other large objects;

to sit (honorific).

seatbasestand

Usage highlights

seatmountain rangebaseauditoriumconstellationthrone

Synonyms

  • 位— position; seat (also a measure word for people)
  • 席— mat; seat; banquet

Antonyms

  • 站— to stand
  • 立— to stand; to establish

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please have a seat (请坐).
  • The mountain is very high (那座山很高).
  • There is a pagoda on the hill (山上有座塔).
  • This is my seat (这是我的座位).

Collocations

  • seat(座位)
  • mountain range(山脉)
  • base(基地)
  • auditorium(礼堂)
  • constellation(星座)
  • throne(宝座)

Idioms

  • To make a mountain out of a molehill(小题大做)
  • A high position and a generous salary(高官厚禄)
  • To sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight(坐山观虎斗)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as a respectful term for addressing or referring to someone's position or seat, especially of a deity or important person (e.g., 座下, 宝座).
  • Commonly used as a measure word for large, immovable objects like mountains, bridges, and buildings, emphasizing their substantial presence.
  • In Buddhism, it can refer to the seat of a Buddha or a monastic position.

FAQ