陟 (zhì) - To ascend & to climb

陟Tone 4

zhì ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

志

陟 · zhì

To ascend;

to climb;

to rise;

to advance;

to promote (in official rank).

To ascendto climbto rise

Usage highlights

To ascend and descendTo promote and demoteTo climb a heightMountain climbingTo advance in rankOfficial promotion

Synonyms

  • 升— to rise; to ascend
  • 登— to climb; to ascend
  • 上— to go up; to ascend

Antonyms

  • 降— to descend; to fall
  • 黜— to demote; to dismiss
  • 下— to go down; to descend

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The emperor promoted the official (陟升官职).
  • We climbed the mountain at dawn (陟彼高冈).
  • He ascended to a higher position (陟高位).
  • The path ascends steeply (陟陟山路).

Collocations

  • To ascend and descend(陟降)
  • To promote and demote(陟黜)
  • To climb a height(陟巅)
  • Mountain climbing(陟山)
  • To advance in rank(陟升)
  • Official promotion(陟官)

Idioms

  • Ascending high and looking far(陟高望远)
  • Promoting the virtuous and dismissing the wicked(陟罚臧否)
  • Ascending to the hall and entering the chamber(陟堂入室)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted climbing a mountain with footsteps, representing upward movement.
  • In imperial China, used in bureaucratic contexts for official promotions and career advancement.
  • Appears in classical texts like the Book of Songs as a poetic term for climbing mountains.
  • Represents upward mobility and progress in both physical and career contexts.

FAQ