长長 cháng, zhǎng — (cháng) long; length; (zhǎng) to grow, to develop; elder, senior; the head of an organisation
拼音
- cháng (second tone, rising)most common
- zhǎng (third tone, dipping)
(cháng) long; length; (zhǎng) to grow, to develop; elder, senior; the head of an organisation
Mnemonic
The traditional 長 draws an old person whose hair has been allowed to grow long, propped on a staff — long hair and long years in one picture. Both readings come straight out of it: cháng is "long" (长城, 多长时间), zhǎng is "to grow" and then "the grown one, the one in charge" (长大, 校长, 长子). The simplified 长 keeps the sweep of the hair in four strokes.
A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.