質 (zhì) - Quality, substance, essence, nature & to question, to interrogate

質Tone 4

zhì ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

志

質 · zhì

Quality, substance, essence, nature;

to question, to interrogate;

to pledge as security;

matter, material.

Quality, substance, essence, natureto question, to interrogateto pledge as security

Usage highlights

QualitySubstance, essenceNature, characterMaterialTo questionTo interrogate

Synonyms

  • 质素— quality, essential element
  • 本质— essence, intrinsic nature
  • 品质— quality, character

Antonyms

  • 文— refinement, culture (antonym to the 'raw substance' sense)
  • 量— quantity (antonym to quality)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The quality of this product is excellent (产品质量).
  • He was questioned by the police (被警察质询).
  • This is a matter of substance (实质问题).
  • She pledged her jewelry as collateral (用珠宝作质).

Collocations

  • Quality(质量)
  • Substance, essence(实质)
  • Nature, character(性质)
  • Material(物质)
  • To question(质问)
  • To interrogate(质询)

Idioms

  • To question closely and repeatedly(质疑问难)
  • Quality determines victory or defeat(质胜文则野)
  • To pledge one's life(质之以死)
  • The substance is more important than the form(文质彬彬)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese philosophy, 质 represents the innate substance or raw material, often contrasted with 文 (refinement, culture).
  • Used in legal and investigative contexts to denote interrogation or examination of facts.
  • In commerce, refers to collateral or security pledged for loans or transactions.

FAQ