About
The character "潜", whose traditional form is "潛", originates from a conceptual blend of water and submersion, built from the water radical (氵or 水) combined with a component that historically served a phonetic function while possibly carrying connotations of accumulation or submersion. Its core meaning has consistently centered on the act of diving beneath the surface of water, a sense directly illustrated by its structure. Over time, this concrete aquatic action naturally extended into more abstract applications, giving rise to associated meanings such as to hide, to conceal, or to do something secretly, as well as describing qualities that are latent, hidden, or not immediately apparent. This semantic expansion from the physical act of moving underwater to notions of concealment and inherent but unmanifested potential represents the primary evolution of the character's application, while its graphical form has maintained a clear link to its foundational aquatic imagery.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我很喜欢潜水。
他很有潜力。
敌人潜伏在附近。
潜意识影响我们的决定。
这里潜藏着巨大的能量。
他悄悄潜入了敌人的基地。
那名逃犯已经潜逃多年。
这项技术具有广阔的应用潜力。