‘站着’ (zhàn zhe) is a verb phrase meaning 'to be standing' — specifically, to remain in an upright, unsupported position on one’s feet. The first character 站 (zhàn) means 'to stand' as an action or state; the second character 着 (zhe) is a structural particle indicating an ongoing or continuous state — not movement, but sustained posture. Together, they emphasize that someone is *already standing* and staying that way, often for some duration or purpose.

This phrase commonly appears in everyday situations: giving instructions ('Stand there!'), describing someone’s current posture ('He’s standing by the door'), or contrasting with sitting/lying down. It’s neutral in register and used across spoken and written Chinese, though rarely appears alone without context — it usually modifies a subject or follows a subject + verb structure (e.g., 他站着). Unlike the simple verb 站, which can imply the act of standing up, 站着 focuses entirely on the maintained state.