About
The character "溢" finds its origin in the earlier graph "益", which initially conveyed the image of water overflowing from a vessel, directly expressing the concept of surplus. As the usage of "益" broadened to encompass meanings such as benefit and increase, the need for specificity led to the formation of "溢" through the addition of the water radical "氵", creating a semantic-phonetic compound that explicitly denotes the overflow of liquids. This structural elaboration reinforced the original watery context, with "益" functioning primarily as the phonetic component while the radical anchored the meaning. Over time, the semantic focus of "溢" has remained steadfast on the idea of overflowing, though it has naturally extended to describe metaphorical excesses beyond the physical realm.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
河水溢出堤岸。
杯中的牛奶溢出来了。
他的脸上洋溢着幸福的笑容。
才华横溢的作家赢得了奖项。
锅里炖的汤太满，都溢到灶台上了。
这份报告充满了溢美之词，缺乏客观分析。
欢乐的气氛溢满了整个婚礼现场。
这些溢出的化学物质对环境构成了潜在威胁。