The compound word 沉迷 is formed through the combination of two independent morphemes: 沉 (chén), meaning "to sink" or "to immerse", and 迷 (mí), meaning "to be fascinated by", "to be lost in", or "to be obsessed with". Together, they create a metaphorical meaning where 沉 provides the imagery of deep submersion and 迷 adds the psychological state of confusion or bewitchment, resulting in the complete word meaning "to be deeply engrossed or addicted to" (often with a negative connotation of excessive, unhealthy absorption in an activity or pursuit). This is a standard pattern in Chinese where two semantically related characters combine to express a more specific and nuanced concept.