陷

xiàn

臽 + 阝

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

xiàn (verb) to sink; to cave in

xiàn (verb) to get stuck; to be trapped

xiàn (noun) pitfall; trap

xiàn (verb) to capture (in battle)

xiàn (verb) to frame (with false charges)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 臽 represents the sound.

About

陷 combines the semantic radical 阝 (mound, hill) with the phonetic component 臽, which depicts a person or object falling into a cavity, together conveying a pit, a geographical depression or hole in the ground. The original meaning was a pitfall or trap for animals or enemies, and over time the meaning broadened to abstract situations: falling into difficult circumstances, being framed for a crime, or having a military position captured. The character serves as both a noun (a trap) and a verb (to sink, to defect).

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

不要陷入困境。

Bú yào xiàn rù kùn jìng.

Do not fall into difficulty.

小心地上的陷阱。

Xiǎo xīn dì shàng de xiàn jǐng.

Be careful of the trap on the ground.

这个机器有缺陷。

Zhè ge jī qì yǒu quē xiàn.

This machine has a defect.

他陷入了深深的思考。

Tā xiàn rù le shēn shēn de sī kǎo.

He fell into deep thought.

城市陷于战火之中。

Chéng shì xiàn yú zhàn huǒ zhī zhōng.

The city was caught in the flames of war.

避免陷入同样的误区。

Bì miǎn xiàn rù tóng yàng de wù qū.

Avoid falling into the same misunderstanding.

那段历史时期国家沦陷了。

Nà duàn lì shǐ shí qī guó jiā lún xiàn le.

During that historical period, the country was occupied.

他因陷害同事而被解雇。

Tā yīn xiàn hài tóng shì ér bèi jiě gù.

He was fired for framing his colleague.

Related Characters

Component: 臽

Component: 阝

Example Words