Taxonomy of meanings for 貞:　　

  • 貞 zhēn (OC: teŋ MC: ʈiɛŋ) 陟盈切 平 廣韻：【正也陟盈切六 】
    • DIVINATION
      • viactOBI: to be in charge of the formal procedures of divination including in particular the interpretation of cracks on bones
      • vtoSquotationOBI: conduct divination on the topic/proposition ("...")
    • FAITHFUL
      • nabactimpeccable devotion (to the ruler)
      • nabdispositionsteady and self-consistent reliability; true devotion; moral immaculateness
      • v[adN]nonreferentialone who is truly devoted
      • vadNtruly devoted; morally immaculate
      • viactbe truly devoted; be morally immaculate
      • vt+prep+Nbe properly faithful to
      • vtoNbe truly devoted to
      • vtoNcausativemake truly devoted and morally immaculate
      • nabsteady and self-consistent reliability; true devotion; moral immaculatenessLZ
    • HEXAGRAM
      • nlower part of the hexagram
    • STRAIGHT
      • vibe proper, be as it should
  • zhēnMODERATION
    • nabfeaturemoderation, restraintCH

Additional information about 貞

說文解字: 【貞】，卜問也。从卜、貝以为贄。一曰：鼎省聲。京房所說。 【陟盈切】

    Criteria
  • STRAIGHT

    1. The current general word for something concrete or abstract being straight in any abstract or concrete way is zhí 直 (ant. wān 彎 "bent")

    2. Zhèng 正 (ant. qǔ 曲 "bent") refers to straightness as the desirable state of something.

    3. Duān 端 (ant. xié 斜 "slanted") and zhēn 貞 (ant. xié 邪 "morally warped") refer to straightness and non-crookedness, often as a property of abstract things.

    4. Gěng 鯁 (ant. qū 屈 "bent") is a rare word referring to straightness in speech or straightness in small objects.

  • LEWD

    1. The current general word for lewdness and lasciviousness in attitude and in action is yín 淫 (ant. jié 節 "decently restrained").

    2. Yù 慾 refers to a lustful attitude.

    3. Dàng 蕩 (ant. zhēn 貞 refers primarily to lewdness in action).

  • FAITHFUL

    1. The current general word for trustiness or good faith is xìn 信.

    2. Chéng 誠 adds to the notion of good faith that of earnestness of effort on behalf of those one is faithful to.

    3. Zhōng 忠 refers to a selfless effort on behalf of the person to whom one takes oneself to owe loyalty, and this person may be either a ruler or a friend.

    4. Zhēn 貞 refers to sturdy moral reliability based on inner conviction.

    5. Shí 實 is occasionally used to refer to reliability of a person's actual performance of duties, particularly to a person's reliability in relation to promises made.

    6. Què 愨 is a rare archaic word referring to trustiness and stolid loyalty as a psychological quality.

    7. Liàng 諒 refers to trustworthiness and fidelity in a more popular mode, sometimes (LY) even with negative overtones of blind faith.

    Word relations
  • Ant: (FAITHFUL)姦/WICKED Jiān 姦 (ant. liáng 良 "of the good sort, decent") refers to sheer human depravity and moral incompetence with no supernatural or sinister overtones.
  • Assoc: (FAITHFUL)廉/GOOD Lián 廉 (ant. tān 貪 "greedy for bribery gifts") refers to moral probity and impeccability.
  • Assoc: (FAITHFUL)信/FAITHFUL The current general word for trustiness or good faith is xìn 信.
  • Assoc: (FAITHFUL)良/EXCELLENT The standard current general word for anything or anyone who naturally meets certain generally accepted high standards of excellence is liáng 良 (ant. liè 劣 "inferior").