====== qiángzhuàng: 强壮 - Strong, Sturdy, Robust ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  *   **Keywords:** qiangzhuang, qiángzhuàng, 强壮, strong in Chinese, healthy and strong Chinese, sturdy Chinese, robust, physically strong, build, physique, how to say strong in Chinese.
  *   **Summary:** Learn how to use the Chinese word **强壮 (qiángzhuàng)**, meaning "strong," "sturdy," or "robust." This comprehensive guide explains its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage. Unlike the general English "strong," `强壮` specifically describes a healthy, well-built physical state for people, animals, and even plants. Discover example sentences and learn to avoid common mistakes to sound like a native speaker.
===== Core Meaning =====
  *   **Pinyin (with tone marks):** qiángzhuàng
  *   **Part of Speech:** Adjective
  *   **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  *   **Concise Definition:** Physically strong, sturdy, and robust, often implying good health.
  *   **In a Nutshell:** `强壮` is the word you use to describe a person or animal with a solid, healthy, and powerful build. It's not just about having big muscles, but about an overall sense of physical vitality and resilience. Think of a healthy farmer, a playful child who never seems to get sick, or a sturdy workhorse. It's a strength that comes from a healthy constitution.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  *   **强 (qiáng):** This character means "strong," "powerful," or "to strengthen." It's one of the most common characters associated with strength in Chinese.
  *   **壮 (zhuàng):** This character means "robust," "sturdy," "strong," or "full-grown." It often carries a sense of maturity and solidity, like a young man in his prime.
When you combine **强 (strong)** and **壮 (robust)**, you get `强壮`, an adjective that powerfully evokes a sense of healthy, vigorous, physical strength. It's a complete package of power and vitality.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, physical health and vitality are highly valued. Being `强壮` is seen as a great blessing and a fundamental requirement for a good life—it enables one to work hard, support a family, and withstand hardship. It's a very common and positive compliment, especially for children and young men.
A key difference from the English word "strong" is its specificity. In English, "strong" is a jack-of-all-trades: strong coffee, a strong argument, a strong economy. **`强壮` is almost exclusively used for the physical condition of living beings.** You wouldn't use it for coffee or an argument.
Comparing it to "athletic" is also useful. An athlete is certainly strong, but "athletic" might imply agility, speed, and skill in a sport. A marathon runner is athletic but might be described as lean (`精瘦 jīngshòu`) rather than `强壮`. A weightlifter or a traditional wrestler, however, is the perfect embodiment of `强壮`—powerful, solid, and robust.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`强壮` is a common, everyday word with a consistently positive connotation.
  *   **Complimenting People:** It's frequently used to praise someone's healthy appearance. Saying a child looks `强壮` is a compliment to the parents, implying they are raising a healthy kid. "你看起来很强壮 (Nǐ kànqǐlái hěn qiángzhuàng)" means "You look very strong and healthy."
  *   **Health and Fitness:** The word is central to discussions about exercise, diet, and health. People go to the gym to make their bodies (`身体 shēntǐ`) more `强壮`.
  *   **Describing Animals and Plants:** A healthy horse, a large bull, or even a very old, sturdy tree can be described as `强壮`.
It is neutral in formality and can be used with friends, family, and in more formal written contexts like health articles.
===== Example Sentences =====
  *   **Example 1:**
    *   他经常锻炼，所以身体很**强壮**。
    *   Pinyin: Tā jīngcháng duànliàn, suǒyǐ shēntǐ hěn **qiángzhuàng**.
    *   English: He often exercises, so his body is very strong and robust.
    *   Analysis: This is a classic example linking exercise (`锻炼`) directly to the state of being `强壮`.
  *   **Example 2:**
    *   这个小男孩吃得很多，长得又高又**强壮**。
    *   Pinyin: Zhège xiǎo nánhái chī de hěn duō, zhǎng de yòu gāo yòu **qiángzhuàng**.
    *   English: This little boy eats a lot, and has grown to be both tall and strong.
    *   Analysis: A common way to describe a healthy, growing child. The structure "又...又... (yòu...yòu...)" means "both...and...".
  *   **Example 3:**
    *   你需要一个**强壮**的身体才能做好这份工作。
    *   Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào yī ge **qiángzhuàng** de shēntǐ cáinéng zuòhǎo zhè fèn gōngzuò.
    *   English: You need a strong body to be able to do this job well.
    *   Analysis: This highlights that `强壮` is often seen as a prerequisite for physically demanding labor.
  *   **Example 4:**
    *   这匹马看起来非常**强壮**，一定能跑得很快。
    *   Pinyin: Zhè pǐ mǎ kànqǐlái fēicháng **qiángzhuàng**, yīdìng néng pǎo de hěn kuài.
    *   English: This horse looks very strong/sturdy; it can definitely run very fast.
    *   Analysis: Demonstrates the use of `强壮` for animals. `匹 (pǐ)` is the measure word for horses.
  *   **Example 5:**
    *   医生说，多吃蔬菜和蛋白质能让孩子更**强壮**。
    *   Pinyin: Yīshēng shuō, duō chī shūcài hé dànbáizhì néng ràng háizi gèng **qiángzhuàng**.
    *   English: The doctor said that eating more vegetables and protein can make children stronger.
    *   Analysis: Shows `强壮` used in the context of health advice and nutrition. `更 (gèng)` means "more."
  *   **Example 6:**
    *   和他的哥哥相比，他显得不那么**强壮**。
    *   Pinyin: Hé tā de gēge xiāngbǐ, tā xiǎnde bù nàme **qiángzhuàng**.
    *   English: Compared to his older brother, he seems less strong.
    *   Analysis: A comparative sentence. `显得 (xiǎnde)` means "to seem" or "to appear."
  *   **Example 7:**
    *   院子里的那棵老橡树依然很**强壮**。
    *   Pinyin: Yuànzi lǐ de nà kē lǎo xiàngshù yīrán hěn **qiángzhuàng**.
    *   English: That old oak tree in the yard is still very sturdy/strong.
    *   Analysis: An excellent example of using `强壮` for a non-animal living thing, emphasizing its resilience and solid structure.
  *   **Example 8:**
    *   为了变得**强壮**，我每天都去健身房。
    *   Pinyin: Wèile biànde **qiángzhuàng**, wǒ měitiān dōu qù jiànshēnfáng.
    *   English: In order to become strong, I go to the gym every day.
    *   Analysis: A sentence showing `强壮` as a goal or motivation. `为了 (wèile)` means "in order to."
  *   **Example 9:**
    *   他病了很久，现在身体不像以前那么**强壮**了。
    *   Pinyin: Tā bìng le hěn jiǔ, xiànzài shēntǐ bù xiàng yǐqián nàme **qiángzhuàng** le.
    *   English: He was sick for a long time, and now his body isn't as strong as it was before.
    *   Analysis: This shows `强壮` in contrast to a state of weakness after an illness.
  *   **Example 10:**
    *   作为一名消防员，**强壮**的体魄是必须的。
    *   Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng xiāofángyuán, **qiángzhuàng** de tǐpò shì bìxū de.
    *   English: As a firefighter, a strong physique is necessary.
    *   Analysis: Here, `强壮` modifies `体魄 (tǐpò)`, a more formal word for "physique," showing its use in a slightly more formal context.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  *   **Mistake 1: Using `强壮` for abstract things.**
    *   **Incorrect:** ~~这个理由很强壮。~~ (Zhège lǐyóu hěn qiángzhuàng.)
    *   **Why it's wrong:** `强壮` is for physical bodies. For a "strong reason" or "strong evidence," you should use `有力 (yǒulì)` or `充分 (chōngfèn)`.
    *   **Correct:** 这个理由很**充分**。(Zhège lǐyóu hěn **chōngfèn**.) - This reason is sufficient/strong.
  *   **Mistake 2: Using `强壮` for flavors or drinks.**
    *   **Incorrect:** ~~我喜欢强壮的咖啡。~~ (Wǒ xǐhuān qiángzhuàng de kāfēi.)
    *   **Why it's wrong:** "Strong coffee" refers to its concentration, not its physical build.
    *   **Correct:** 我喜欢**浓**咖啡。(Wǒ xǐhuān **nóng** kāfēi.) - I like strong coffee.
  *   **Mistake 3: Confusing `强壮` with `厉害 (lìhai)`.**
    *   `厉害` means "awesome," "fierce," or "capable" and is much broader. A brilliant but physically frail scientist is `厉害`, not `强壮`. A weightlifter is both `强壮` (physically) and `厉害` (capable at lifting). Don't use `强壮` to mean "awesome" in general.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  *   [[健康]] (jiànkāng) - Healthy. Being `健康` is the foundation for being `强壮`. You can be healthy without being particularly strong, but you can't be truly `强壮` without being healthy.
  *   [[结实]] (jiēshi) - Sturdy, solid, durable. Very similar to `强壮` for people, but more commonly used for objects (e.g., a sturdy table). When describing a person, it suggests a compact, dense build.
  *   [[强大]] (qiángdà) - Powerful, formidable. This is used for large-scale, abstract power, like a `强大` country, army, or company. Never use it to describe a person's physical body.
  *   [[有力]] (yǒulì) - Powerful, forceful. Describes the application of force or impact (e.g., a powerful punch, forceful words). `强壮` is the state of having strength, while `有力` is the act of using it.
  *   [[健壮]] (jiànzhuàng) - Healthy and strong; robust. A very close synonym to `强壮`, sometimes considered slightly more formal.
  *   [[虚弱]] (xūruò) - Feeble, weak. The direct antonym of `强壮`, describing a state of poor health and lack of physical strength.
  *   [[锻炼]] (duànliàn) - To exercise, work out. The most common activity one does to become `强壮`.
  *   [[肌肉]] (jīròu) - Muscle. Having well-developed `肌肉` is a key component of being `强壮`.