针

• Pinyin: zhēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 针 = 钅(金) (metal) + 十 (ten, phonetic simplification), a metal needle

Meaning

Needle; pin. A thin, pointed instrument used for sewing, medical injections, or acupuncture.

Refers to any needle-like object: a sewing needle (缝衣针), a hypodermic needle (注射针), or an acupuncture needle (针灸的针). Also used as a measure word for injections (打一针 means to give/receive one injection). 针线 refers to needle and thread.

Examples

1. 她用针线把破了的衬衫认真缝好了。 She carefully sewed up the torn shirt using a needle and thread.
2. 医生说他需要打一针消炎药，减轻感染症状。 The doctor said he needed one injection of anti-inflammatory medication to reduce the infection symptoms.
3. 找了半天，终于在地毯上找到了那根细小的针。 After searching for a long time, she finally found the tiny needle on the carpet.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, craft, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 孩子怕打针，所以很紧张。(The child is scared of injections, so he is very nervous.)
• 缝这件衣服需要用细针。(You need a fine needle to sew this garment.)

Don't Say

• 把'针'用于形容非针状细长物体 (Don't use 针 loosely to describe any thin or sharp object — it specifically refers to a needle or pin with a pointed tip)

Origin & History

An ancient character combining 金 (metal) with a phonetic component. The metal radical indicates it is made of metal; the overall character has depicted a metal pin or needle since antiquity.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal