主张

The Chinese word 主张 (zhǔzhāng) is composed of two characters: 主 (zhǔ), meaning "main" or "primary," and 张 (zhāng), meaning "to spread out" or "to state." Together, these characters form the word 主张, which can be translated as "main idea," "opinion," or "proposal."The word 主张 has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). During this time, it was used to refer to the main ideas or principles of a philosophical school or political party. For example, the Confucian school of thought was known as the 儒家主張 (Rújiā zhǔzhāng), while the Legalist school of thought was known as the 法家主張 (Fǎjiā zhǔzhāng).Over time, the word 主张 came to be used more broadly to refer to any kind of main idea or opinion. It can be used to express one's own opinion, or to refer to the opinion of someone else. For example, you could say 我主張我們應該去公園 (Wǒ zhǔzhāng wǒmen yīnggāi qù gōngyuán), which means "I think we should go to the park." Alternatively, you could say 他主張我們應該去博物館 (Tā zhǔzhāng wǒmen yīnggāi qù bówùguǎn), which means "He thinks we should go to the museum."The word 主张 is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of contexts. It is an important word to know for HSK learners, as it is used frequently in both spoken and written Chinese.