着 zhe
ongoing state marker / accompanying action
着 (zhe) means "ongoing state marker / accompanying action" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.
Words used with 着
呢
ne
(ongoing action particle)
衣服
yīfu
clothes
帽子
màozi
hat
眼镜
yǎnjìng
glasses
灯
dēng
light / lamp
Frequently asked questions
What does 着 (zhe) mean in Chinese?
着 (zhe) means "ongoing state marker / accompanying action" in Chinese. 着 (zhe) means "ongoing state marker / accompanying action" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.
How do you use 着 in a sentence?
Use 着 (zhe) the way you would use "ongoing state marker / accompanying action" in English, then build longer sentences by adding words you already know around it.
What words are commonly used with 着?
Common words that pair with 着 include 呢. Learning these together helps you build complete, natural sentences instead of isolated vocabulary.
What is the difference between 着 (zhe) and 出 (chū)?
Both are high-frequency Chinese words taught early in Speak1000. 着 means "ongoing state marker / accompanying action"; 出 means "out / to exit / to produce / to appear". The fastest way to tell them apart is to hear each one used in real sentences — our free lessons drill every word in context so the contrast becomes natural.
Related Chinese concepts
Why this concept matters
One concept should unlock a network, not one translation
Speak1000 teaches 着 as part of a cumulative sentence network. You connect it to concepts you already know, hear the combinations in context, and retrieve them in new situations.
See the Concept Unlock MethodHear 着 used in real sentences
The fastest way to remember 着 (zhe) is to hear it used naturally. Start with our free interactive lesson and practice with real audio from day one.
Try Free Lesson: Unit 1