正zhèngjust (at that time)
正 (zhèng) means "just (at that time)," as in 妈妈正做饭呢 (Mom is just cooking), 我正想去你家 (I was just thinking of going to your home) and 他来的时候,我正看书呢 (When he came, I was just reading). In all three, 正 means just at that time. This entry covers this one sense.
What does 正 mean?
- 1.
just (at that time)adverb
What does the character 正 mean?
- 正just (at that time)
How do you use 正?
See it in 妈妈正做饭呢, 我正想去你家 and 他来的时候,我正看书呢.
Patterns
正 + verb + 呢
妈妈正做饭呢。
Māma zhèng zuò fàn ne.
Mom is just cooking.
What are some examples of 正 in a sentence?
How is 正 used in a conversation?
- Speaker A:
你在做什么?
Nǐ zài zuò shénme?
What are you doing?
- Speaker B:
我正看书呢。
Wǒ zhèng kàn shū ne.
I'm just reading.
- Speaker A:
一起去吃饭吧。
Yìqǐ qù chī fàn ba.
Let's go eat together.
- Speaker B:
好,等我一下。
Hǎo, děng wǒ yíxià.
OK, wait for me a moment.
Can you use 正 correctly?
0 of 3 answeredWhat should you learn next?
- Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
- HSK 2 word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
- HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.
Related words
- 在zài(of sb or sth) to be (located) atHSK 1
- 现在xiàn zàinow; at present; currentlyHSK 1
- 正在zhèng zàito be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ingHSK 1
- 正好zhèng hǎojust (in time); just right; just enoughHSK 4
- 正常zhèng chángnormal; regularHSK 4
- 正式zhèng shìformal; officialHSK 4
Browse every entry in the Chinese word dictionary.
English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.