Dong Chinese dictionary

céng, zēng

already

Pictograph of a cooking pot. Based on the original meaning "cauldron; cooking pot", now written as 甑. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

céng

already; sign of past; once; ever (in the past); former; previously; (past tense marker used before verb or clause)

Zēng

surname Zeng

zēng

great-grand (father, child etc)

Most common words with 曾

Component uses

Sound component in 12 characters (3 verified)

Sources