撑

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to support; to prop up; to push or move with a pole; to maintain; to open or unfurl; to fill to bursting point; brace; stay; support

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

扌 meaning “hand” + 掌 sound ( zhǎng )

Components 扌掌

prop up · Heisig RSH #1957

fingers + 掌 palm of the hand

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
撑死胆大的，饿死胆小的	chēng sǐ dǎn dà de , è sǐ dǎn xiǎo de	fullness for the bold, famine for the timid (idiom)
撑门面	chēng mén miàn	to keep up appearances; to put up a front
平板支撑	píng bǎn zhī chēng	plank (exercise)
撑场面	chēng chǎng miàn	to keep up appearances; to put up a front
吃饱了饭撑的	chī bǎo le fàn chēng de	having nothing better to do; see 吃飽撐著\|吃饱撑着
撑杆跳高	chēng gān tiào gāo	variant of 撐竿跳高\|撑竿跳高[cheng1 gan1 tiao4 gao1]
四肢支撑式	sì zhī zhī chēng shì	low plank (yoga pose)
吃饱撑着	chī bǎo chēng zhe	having nothing better to do
撑开	chēng kāi	to stretch taut; to open (an umbrella); to hold (a bag etc) open; to prop open
立卧撑跳	lì wò chēng tiào	burpee
撑死	chēng sǐ	full to the point of bursting; (coll.) at most
支撑架	zhī chēng jià	bracket
强撑	qiǎng chēng	to use all one's willpower (to do sth); to hang in there
撑破	chēng pò	to burst
撑杆跳	chēng gān tiào	variant of 撐竿跳\|撑竿跳[cheng1 gan1 tiao4]
撑船	chēng chuán	to punt; to pole a boat
撑竿跳高	chēng gān tiào gāo	pole vault
支撑	zhī chēng	to prop up; to support; strut; brace
硬撑	yìng chēng	to make oneself do sth in spite of adversity, pain etc
撑杆	chēng gān	a pole; a prop