渗

滲

shèn

参 + 氵

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

shèn (verb) to seep; to ooze

shèn (verb) to horrify

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 参 represents the sound. Simplified form of 滲.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 参

About

The character 渗, traditionally written as 滲, is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical 氵, a variant of 水 (water), relates to liquids, while the right component 参 (simplified) or 參 (traditional) provides the phonetic element. The character fundamentally describes the movement of liquids, seeping, oozing, leaking, or percolating through porous material. This physical process of fluid permeation is also extended metaphorically to depict the gradual infiltration or spreading of abstract concepts, ideas, or influences within a broader system or society.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

雨水渗进了土壤。

Yǔshuǐ shèn jìnle tǔrǎng.

Rainwater seeped into the soil.

汗水从他的额头渗出。

Hànshuǐ cóng tā de étóu shèn chū.

Sweat seeped out from his forehead.

连续下雨导致墙壁渗水。

Liánxù xiàyǔ dǎozhì qiángbì shènshuǐ.

Continuous rain caused the wall to have water seepage.

这种材料能防止液体渗透。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào néng fángzhǐ yètǐ shèntòu.

This material can prevent liquid penetration.

地下水慢慢渗入地基，影响了稳定性。

Dìxiàshuǐ mànmàn shènrù dìjī, yǐngxiǎngle wěndìngxìng.

Groundwater slowly seeps into the foundation, affecting its stability.

化学物质渗透细胞膜的过程很复杂。

Huàxué wùzhì shèntòu xìbāo mó de guòchéng hěn fùzá.

The process of chemical substances permeating the cell membrane is very complex.

由于管道老化，石油渗漏到了环境中。

Yóuyú guǎndào lǎohuà, shíyóu shènlòu dàole huánjìng zhōng.

Due to pipeline aging, oil leaked into the environment.

长期的文化交流使得两种思想相互渗透，难以区分。

Chángqī de wénhuà jiāoliú shǐdé liǎng zhǒng sīxiǎng xiānghù shèntòu, nányǐ qūfēn.

Long-term cultural exchange has caused the two ideologies to permeate each other, making them difficult to distinguish.

Related Characters

Component: 参

Component: 氵

渗