About
The character "沦" in its traditional form "淪" is etymologically composed of the water radical (氵) combined with "侖", which historically implied order or sequence, suggesting a structured movement of water. Its earliest meanings centered on the idea of small ripples or gentle waves on water, conveying a sense of gradual, cyclical motion. Over time, this concept of a slow, inevitable movement was abstracted to describe a decline or sinking into a lower state, such as land submerging or, more figuratively, a person or society falling into ruin, misfortune, or moral degradation. This semantic shift from a physical, aquatic phenomenon to an abstract expression of downfall or loss became the character's dominant meaning, with the water radical still hinting at the immersive, all-encompassing nature of the condition it describes.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他的故乡沦陷了。
那段历史是国土沦丧的悲剧。
战乱使许多繁华城市沦为废墟。
经济危机使国家沦为难民输出地。
她不甘心沦为一个平庸的家庭主妇。
这个港口曾沦为他国的殖民地。
精神的贫瘠比物质的匮乏更容易让人沦落。
若不坚守道德底线, 人类文明恐将彻底沦丧。