Definitions

shēn (adjective) deep; profound
shēn (adjective) (of color) dark; rich
shēn (adverb) deeply

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character "深" is structurally composed of the water radical paired with a phonetic component, a formation that has remained consistent and underscores its original association with measurable aquatic depths. Etymologically, this construction points to an initial meaning focused on the physical distance from a surface to a bottom, particularly in contexts like rivers or pools. Over time, while retaining this concrete sense, the semantic scope of "深" broadened considerably, evolving to describe intensity and profundity in non-physical realms, such as deep thought, strong emotion, or advanced time, reflecting a natural linguistic shift from specific physical attributes to a wide range of abstract and qualitative states.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
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 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 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

夜很安静。

Shēn yè hěn ān jìng.

Late night is very quiet.

他的印象很刻。

Tā de yìnxiàng hěn shēnkè.

His impression is very profound.

我们入讨论了这个问题。

Wǒmen shēnrù tǎolùn le zhège wèntí.

We deeply discussed this issue.

这本书的内容很有度。

Zhè běn shū de nèiróng hěn yǒu shēndù.

The content of this book has great depth.

她对这件事有厚的感情。

Tā duì zhè jiàn shì yǒu shēnhòu de gǎnqíng.

She has deep feelings about this matter.

尽管困难重重,他仍然爱着他的工作。

Jǐnguǎn kùnnan chóngchóng, tā réngrán shēn ài zhe tā de gōngzuò.

Despite many difficulties, he still deeply loves his job.

这个决定将会产生远的影响。

Zhège juédìng jiāng huì chǎnshēng shēnyuǎn de yǐngxiǎng.

This decision will have far-reaching effects.

邃的宇宙中,人类显得格外渺小。

Zài shēnsuì de yǔzhòu zhōng, rénlèi xiǎndé géwài miǎoxiǎo.

In the profound universe, humans appear exceptionally small.