搘 (zhī) - To prop up & to support

搘Tone 1

zhī ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

搘 · zhī

To prop up;

to support;

to sustain;

to maintain.

Often used in literary contexts to describe supporting or upholding something.

To prop upto supportto sustain

Usage highlights

Prop upSustain/supportSupport/propBarely maintainSupport with handsProp up the sky

Synonyms

  • 支— to support; to prop
  • 撑— to prop up; to support
  • 持— to hold; to maintain
  • 扶— to support with hand; to assist

Antonyms

  • 压— to press down; to suppress
  • 塌— to collapse; to fall down
  • 倒— to fall; to collapse

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The pillars prop up the roof (搘柱).
  • He barely managed to sustain his family (搘持家庭).
  • The government took measures to support the economy (搘撑经济).
  • She used books to prop up the table leg (用书搘起桌腿).

Collocations

  • Prop up(搘柱)
  • Sustain/support(搘持)
  • Support/prop(搘撑)
  • Barely maintain(搘拄)
  • Support with hands(手搘)
  • Prop up the sky(搘天)

Idioms

  • Barely managing to support oneself(搘拄不住)
  • Supporting heaven and earth(搘天地)
  • Struggling to maintain(搘捂艰难)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character appears more frequently in classical Chinese and literary works than in modern vernacular.
  • Often used in contexts describing physical support or metaphorical sustenance of difficult situations.
  • The hand radical (扌) indicates its connection to manual support or physical propping.

FAQ