Definitions
(adjective)
flourishing; abundant
(adjective)
earnest; hospitable
(adjective)
dark red
(noun)
roll of thunder
Etymology
Depicts a person with a swollen abdomen (㐆) receiving an acupuncture from a hand holding a needle (殳). Based on the original meaning "intense pain from an illness". The meaning later shifted to "abundant" and "many" while it's other meaning used as the name of a dynasty at the end of the Shang dynasty is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "殷" derives from an early pictographic concept representing fullness or grandeur, structurally formed by the phonetic component "㐆" combined with the radical "殳", which often implies action or force. Its semantic range originally centered on abundance and thickness, as evidenced in classical usage describing prosperous states or substantial quantities. Over time, the meaning broadened to include attributes of earnestness and diligent care, exemplified in the compound "殷勤", while also describing a deep, rich color in terms like "殷红". Significantly, the character became historically tethered to the Shang Dynasty through its association with the dynasty's later capital at Yin, thus serving concurrently as a descriptor for material and qualitative richness and as a proper name for that ancient period.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他的目光非常殷切。
她待人总是很殷勤。
我们殷切期盼他的归来。
他殷勤地为客人倒茶。
这份殷切的期望让我感动。
殷商是中国古老的王朝。
考古学家发现了殷墟的遗址。
他的家境曾经十分殷实。