How to Write 阵 (zhèn) — Meaning “a burst; a spell; period of time”

Imagine a car (车) driving up a hill (阝) and then stopping for a short spell — that's a 阵 (a burst). The hill and car together help you recall that 阵 means a temporary period, like a shower or a gust.

Write the left ear radical first: short horizontal stroke, then a curved hook, followed by a vertical line (2 strokes). Then write 车: horizontal, diagonal fold, horizontal, vertical (4 strokes). Keep the left ear slim and the car centered; a common mistake is making the ear too wide or the car too narrow.

阵 has the ear radical on the left (阝) and means a burst of time. 邓 has the ear on the right (阝) and is a surname. 邗 also has the ear on the right and is a place name. The position of the ear radical changes both meaning and usage completely.

阵 is very common for short weather events like 阵雨 (a shower) or 一阵风 (a gust of wind). It also appears in military terms like 阵地 (position) and everyday phrases like 一阵子 (for a while). You will hear it often in weather reports and casual conversation.

Common words containing 阵 include: 一阵 (yī zhèn) — a burst; a spell; a period of time; 阵雨 (zhèn yǔ) — shower (rain); 阵地 (zhèn dì) — position; front; battlefield.