zài

again

Depicts catching two () fish at once, conveying the meaning "again". The fish component is similar to the bottom half of .

Components
二 meaning component

  Meaning component

èr

  

two

◎ iconic component

  Iconic component

  

characterless component

Depicts a fish. Similar to .

Evolution

再 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
再 Bronze script Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze script

Early Warring States (~400 BC)
再 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
再 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
再 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

zài

again, twice, re-; again; once more; re-; second; another; then (after sth, and not until then); no matter how ... (followed by an adjective or verb, and then (usually) [yě] or [dōu] for emphasis)

Most common words with 再
Freq.
Word
Meaning

again

再见

goodbye

再次

again

不再

no more

再说

to say again