在zài

在

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简体

Simplified Chinese

Modern simplified form (簡體). 在 (zài, "at, to be in") remains unchanged from its traditional counterpart — the character shows a person (亻) standing on earth (土), a visual metaphor for existence and location that has endured for millennia. It functions as both a verb meaning "to exist" or "to be at" and as a preposition indicating time, place, or condition.

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Shuowen

在. The oracle bone 在 pictures a footprint (止) with a human figure (亻) standing on it, literally “a foot placed on the ground,” signifying “to be at” or “present in a place.” The footprint later simplified to the radical “土” (earth) while the person remained, emphasizing location and existence; thus 在 came to denote presence, existence, or the preposition “at, in.”

Pinyin

zài· HSK 1· Radical 土

在zài

Character evolution

Shuowen

Pinyin