淫

滛

yín

㸒 + 氵

Definitions

yín (adjective) lewd; obscene; lascivious

yín (adjective) excessive; unrestrained

Etymology

About

淫 is a phono-semantic compound that combines the water radical 氵 on the left with the phonetic component 㸒 (yín) on the right, originally referring to relentless, excessive rain. From this literal sense of flooding, the meaning broadened to metaphorically describe any kind of excess. Over time, it took on a strong moral dimension, coming to denote lewdness, promiscuity, and illicit sexual conduct. While modern Chinese uses 淫 almost exclusively for pornography and sexual obscenity, it still appears in classical writings and a few compound terms to express the idea of overindulgence or overflowing beyond proper bounds, without any necessary sexual meaning.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 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)

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

这部电影含有淫秽内容。

Zhè bù diànyǐng hán yǒu yínhuì nèiróng.

This movie contains obscene content.

网络上传播淫秽信息是违法的。

Wǎngluò shàng chuánbō yínhuì xìnxī shì wéifǎ de.

Spreading obscene information online is illegal。

他写了一本书批判社会的淫靡之风。

Tā xiě le yī běn shū pīpàn shèhuì de yínmǐ zhī fēng.

He wrote a book criticizing the decadent trends in society.

过度的享乐容易使人淫逸放荡。

Guòdù de xiǎnglè róngyì shǐ rén yínyì fàngdàng.

Excessive pleasure-seeking can easily lead people to debauchery.

古代的暴君常以淫威压迫百姓。

Gǔdài de bàojūn cháng yǐ yínwēi yāpò bǎixìng.

Ancient tyrants often oppressed the people with their tyrannical power.

连绵的淫雨使庄稼都烂在了地里。

Liánmián de yínyǔ shǐ zhuāngjia dōu làn zài le dì lǐ.

The continuous excessive rain caused the crops to rot in the fields.

这些淫词艳曲对青少年影响很坏。

Zhèxiē yín cí yàn qǔ duì qīngshàonián yǐngxiǎng hěn huài.

These indecent songs and lyrics have a very bad influence on teenagers.

他意志薄弱，沉湎于淫乐不能自拔。

Tā yìzhì bóruò, chénmiǎn yú yínlè bùnéng zìbá.

He is weak-willed, deeply immersed in debauchery and unable to extricate himself.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 㸒

Component: 氵

Example Words