About
The character 淤, formed by the water radical combined with the phonetic element 於, originally denoted silt or sediment left behind by receding water, directly linking its structure to its meaning. Over time, its semantic range expanded from this specific physical substance to encompass any analogous obstructive accumulation, such as in blocked waterways or, in medical contexts, the stagnation of blood or bodily fluids. This shift from a concrete referent to a more abstract concept of congestion illustrates how the character's core meaning adapted to describe both environmental and physiological forms of deposition.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这条河里有淤泥。
下水道被垃圾淤住了。
泥沙淤积在河口。
管道长期淤塞需要疏通。
他的伤口周围有些淤血。
河床淤高导致了水位上涨。
治理黄河的关键在于减少泥沙淤积。
他腿上的淤青是昨天不小心撞的。