How to Write 驻 (zhù) — Meaning “to stay; to be stationed”

Imagine a horse (马) that is the 'main' (主) horse in the stable — it always stays there while other horses go out. This picture helps you remember that 驻 means 'to stay' or 'be stationed.' You can also think of a 'stationed horse' as the main horse that does not leave.

The left part 马 is narrow and has three strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal. The right part 主 is wider and taller, starting with a dot on top, then two horizontals, a vertical, and a final horizontal. A common mistake is making the left 马 too wide or the right 主 too short — keep the left slim and the right vertical stroke long.

驻 (zhù) means to stay or be stationed, and its right part is 主 (host). 驮 (tuó) means to carry on the back, and its right part is 大 (big), like a horse carrying a big load. 驯 (xùn) means tame or domesticated, and its right part is 川 (stream), suggesting a horse that follows a path. The visual difference is the right component: 主 vs. 大 vs. 川.

驻 is commonly used in official and military contexts, such as 驻华 (zhù huá) meaning 'stationed in China' for diplomats or foreign offices, and 驻扎 (zhù zhā) for troops being quartered. It also appears in 驻地 (zhù dì) meaning a station or base. Culturally, you will see 驻 in news about embassies and military deployments.

Common words containing 驻 include: 驻华 (zhù huá) — stationed in China; 驻扎 (zhù zhā) — to station; to be quartered; 驻地 (zhù dì) — station; place where troops are stationed.