About
The character "沉", denoting sinking or submerging, derives from its traditional counterpart "沈", a composite form integrating the water radical "氵" with the component "冘", which likely provided phonetic guidance while implicitly conveying a sense of slow descent or lingering movement. Its original meaning centered on the physical act of falling beneath water, but over time it expanded to encapsulate abstract notions of weightiness, such as in emotional gravity, and intense mental absorption, as in profound contemplation. The altered structure of "沉", which substitutes "冘" with "冗", reflects a graphical modification that nevertheless preserved the character's fundamental associations with descent and immersion.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
船慢慢地下沉。
他的心情很沉重。
他沉默地坐在角落里。
夜色沉沉，街道上空无一人。
历史的尘埃早已沉淀。
这份沉甸甸的责任我们必须承担。
经过岁月的沉淀，他的性格沉稳了许多。
把自己的思绪从回忆中拉出来并不容易，它太容易让人沉溺。