赠

• Pinyin: zèng
• Hanzi breakdown: 赠 = 贝 (shell/money) + 曾 (phonetic), to gift

Meaning

To give as a gift; to present; to donate. Formally presenting something to someone.

More formal than 送. Used in literary contexts and formal gift-giving. Common phrases: 赠送 (to give as a present), 赠品 (complimentary gift/freebie), 赠言 (parting words of advice), 捐赠 (donate).

Examples

1. 朋友赠我一本他写的书。 A friend gave me a book he wrote as a gift.
2. 购物满五百元，赠精美礼品一份。 Spend over 500 yuan and receive an exquisite gift.
3. 老师在毕业时赠我几句话。 The teacher gave me some words of advice at graduation.

Usage Guide

Context: gifts, ceremonies, promotions

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 谨以此书赠给您。(I respectfully present this book to you.)
• 购买即赠小礼品。(Purchase and receive a free gift.)

Don't Say

• 赠你一个苹果 (Too formal for casual giving — just say 给你一个苹果)

Origin & History

Composed of 贝 (shell, representing wealth/valuables) and 曾 (phonetic). Giving valuables as gifts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal