How to Write 怔 (zhēng/zhèng) — Meaning “stunned; dazed”

Imagine you are staring straight (正) ahead with a frozen heart (忄) when something surprising happens — you are completely stunned. The shape of 正 looks like a plus sign, which can remind you of being 'stuck' in a daze.

Write the left radical 忄 as two dots then a vertical stroke, making sure the vertical line is straight and slightly longer than the dots. The right side 正 starts with a horizontal stroke, then a vertical, then two short horizontals and a final horizontal — keep the strokes evenly spaced and the top horizontal shorter than the bottom.

怔 (zhēng) means stunned or dazed, while 忏 (chàn) means 'to repent' and 忕 (shì) means 'habitual' or 'accustomed'. Visually, 怔 has the right part 正 (five strokes), 忏 has 千 (three strokes plus a cross), and 忕 has 大 (three strokes) — pay attention to the right side shapes.

怔 is commonly used in phrases like 发怔 (fā zhèng, 'to be in a daze') and 怔住 (zhèng zhù, 'to be stunned'). It describes a temporary mental blankness from shock or deep thought, and appears in written narratives but less in casual speech.

Common words containing 怔 include: 发怔 (fā zhèng) — To be in a daze; to be stunned; 怔住 (zhèng zhù) — to be dazed; to be stunned; 怔怔 (zhēng zhēng) — in a daze; staring blankly.