verb / noun / suffix HSK 4
zhì
to manufacture · to制 · system · 制度

Meaning

is a versatile character that means 'to make,' 'to manufacture,' or 'to control.' As a noun or suffix, it refers to a system, institution, or度. It appears in many compound words related to manufacturing, control, and organized systems.

Usage

is rarely used alone in modern Mandarin and almost always appears in compound words. Common in formal and technical contexts, especially when discussing systems, manufacturing processes, or作. It's a productive suffix for forming words about systems and methods.

Examples

  1. 01
    这家公司专门造电子产品。
    Zhè jiā gōng zhuān mén zhì zào diàn chǎn pǐn.
    This company specializes in manufacturing electronic products.
  2. 02
    我们需要建立一个新的管理度。
    men yào jiàn xīn de guǎn zhì .
    We need to establish a new management system.

Common collocations

  • 造业
    zhì zào
    manufacturing industry
  • zhì
    system, setup
  • zhì
    legal system, rule of law
  • dìng zhì
    custom-made, tailor-made

Origin

The character originally depicted cutting cloth or materials to造 something, combining the radical for knife with elements suggesting control and crafting. Over time it extended to mean any kind of making, manufacturing, or systematic control.

Related