Definitions

cén surname Cen
cén small hill

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "岑" is etymologically derived from a phono-semantic composition, integrating the radical "山" for mountain with the component "今", which primarily offers phonetic guidance while possibly imparting a sense of immediacy or distinctness. Its original meaning centered on a small yet high mountain or hill, a definition that has remained consistent in its core geographical sense. Over time, literary usage extended its application to describe secluded, lofty, or steep landscapes, enriching its descriptive capacity without displacing its fundamental meaning. Concurrently, the character adopted a role in personal nomenclature, becoming a surname often associated with mountainous regions, thus reflecting a functional evolution from purely topographic reference to social identification while its structural form has stayed unchanged.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

先生是我的邻居。

Cén xiānsheng shì wǒ de línjū.

Mr. Cen is my neighbor.

山中的夜晚十分寂。

Shān zhōng de yèwǎn shífēn cénjì.

The mountain night is extremely quiet and secluded.

远处青如黛,景色很美。

Yuǎn chù qīng cén rú dài, jǐngsè hěn měi.

The green hills in the distance are dark like eyebrow pigment, the scenery is beautiful.

参是唐代著名的边塞诗人。

Cén Shēn shì Táng dài zhùmíng de biānsài shīrén.

Cen Shen was a famous frontier poet of the Tang Dynasty.

广西溪以出产花岗岩闻名。

Guǎngxī Cénxī yǐ chūchǎn huāgāngyán wénmíng.

Cenxi in Guangxi is famous for producing granite.

岩险峻,攀登起来很不容易。

Cén yán xiǎnjùn, pāndēng qǐlái hěn bù róngyì.

The rugged cliffs are steep and perilous, making them very difficult to climb.

每当他内心感到寂,就会去湖边散步。

Měi dāng tā nèixīn gǎndào cénjì, jiù huì qù hú biān sànbù.

Whenever he feels lonely and quiet inside, he goes for a walk by the lake.

面对人生的岭,他从未选择退缩。

Miànduì rénshēng de cén lǐng, tā cóng wèi xuǎnzé tuìsuō.

Facing the steep peaks of life, he never chose to retreat.