沉

See also: 沈 and 瀋

沉	U+6C89, 沉 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6C89

← 沈
[U+6C88]

CJK Unified Ideographs

沊 →
[U+6C8A]

Translingual

Han character

沉 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 水月竹弓 (EBHN) or 水月竹山 (EBHU), four-corner 3711₀, composition ⿰氵冗(GJKV) or ⿰氵⿱冖儿(HT))

Derived characters

𩂸, 𫪌

References

KangXi: page 610, character 7

Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17190

Dae Jaweon: page 1003, character 1

Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1574, character 1

Unihan data for U+6C89

Chinese

trad.		沉
simp. ^#		沉
alternative forms		沈

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (冘) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
冘	lu, lum
抌	lu, ʔl'uːmʔ, *loʔ
狖	*lus
貁	*lus
耽	*ʔl'uːm
眈	ʔl'uːm, ʔl'uːmʔ, *l'uːm
酖	*ʔl'uːm
妉	*ʔl'uːm
黕	*ʔl'uːmʔ
衴	*ʔl'uːmʔ
瓭	*ʔl'uːmʔ
馾	*ʔl'uːms
髧	*l'uːmʔ
紞	*ʔl'oːmʔ
鈂	zlum, l'um
沈	l'um, l'ums, *hljumʔ
沉	*l'um
枕	l'um, ʔljumʔ, *ʔljums
莐	*l'um
霃	*l'um
鴆	*l'ums
訦	ɦljum, ɦljumʔ
忱	*ɦljum
邥	*hljumʔ
魫	*hljumʔ

Variant of 沈, see there for more.

Etymology

MSEA areal etymon: similar words exist in Austroasiatic, Kra-Dai, & Tibeto-Burman; yet those are difficult to match with potential OC relations (Schuessler, 2007).

Possible allofams are 淫 (OC *lɯm), 瀋 (OC *l̥ʰjɯmʔ), 函 (OC *ɡuːm, *ɡruːm), & 湛 (OC *ʔl'uːm, *r'uːmʔ, *l'um) (ibid.).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): chén (chen²)
(Zhuyin): ㄔㄣˊ
(Chengdu, SP): cen²
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): cam⁴, zam⁶
(Taishan, Wiktionary): cim³
Gan (Wiktionary): ciin²
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhṳ̀m
(Meixian, Guangdong): cem²
Jin (Wiktionary): ceng¹
Min Bei (KCR): dêng
Min Dong (BUC): tèng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): tîm / tiâm / têm / thiām
(Teochew, Peng'im): dim⁵ / ding⁵ / tim⁷
Wu (Wiktionary): zen (T3)
Xiang (Wiktionary): chen²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chén
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄣˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chén
  - Wade–Giles: chʻên²
  - Yale: chén
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chern
  - Palladius: чэнь (čɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: cen²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: cen
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰən²¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: cam⁴, zam⁶
  - Yale: chàhm, jahm
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsam⁴, dzam⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: cem⁴, zem⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɐm²¹/, /t͡sɐm²²/

Note:

cam4 - literary;
zam6 - vernacular.

- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: cim³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰim²²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: ciin²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɨn²⁴/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhṳ̀m
  - Hakka Romanization System: ciimˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: cim²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɨm¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: cem²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰəm¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: ceng¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰə̃ŋ¹¹/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: dêng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /teiŋ³³/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: tèng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰɛiŋ⁵³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, Changtai, Zhangpu, General Taiwanese, Klang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tîm
  - Tâi-lô: tîm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: diim
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, Changtai, Taipei, Klang): /tim²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /tim²³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /tim¹³/
  - IPA (Zhangpu): /tim²¹³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Nan'an, Zhangpu, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiâm
  - Tâi-lô: tiâm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: diaam
  - IPA (Zhangpu): /tiam²¹³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /tiam²³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /tiam¹³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Nan'an, Taipei): /tiam²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Hui'an)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: têm
  - Tâi-lô: têm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: deem
  - IPA (Hui'an): /tem²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Changtai, Zhangpu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: thiām
  - Tâi-lô: thiām
  - Phofsit Daibuun: tiam
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Changtai): /tʰiam²²/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /tʰiam⁴¹/
  - IPA (Zhangpu): /tʰiam³³/
  - IPA (Nan'an): /tʰiam³¹/

Note: thiām - "to put and submerge people or objects into water".

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: dim⁵ / ding⁵ / tim⁷
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tîm / tîng / thīm
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tim⁵⁵/, /tiŋ⁵⁵/, /tʰim¹¹/

Note:

ding7 - Chenghai;
tim7 - dialectal usage ("to put and submerge people or objects into water").

Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: zen (T3)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /z̥əɲ²³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: chen²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʈ͡ʂʰən¹³/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /t͡sʰən¹³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 沉
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵/
	Harbin	/ʈ͡ʂʰən²⁴/ ～重 /ʈ͡ʂʰən⁵³/ ～底
	Tianjin	/ʈ͡ʂʰən⁴⁵/ /t͡sʰən⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/ʈ͡ʂʰẽ⁴²/
	Qingdao	/tʃʰə̃⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ʈ͡ʂʰən⁴²/
	Xi'an	/ʈ͡ʂʰẽ²⁴/
	Xining	/ʈ͡ʂʰə̃²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ʈ͡ʂʰəŋ⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/ʈ͡ʂʰə̃n⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/t͡sʰən²¹³/
	Chengdu	/t͡sʰən³¹/
	Guiyang	/t͡sʰen²¹/
	Kunming	/ʈ͡ʂʰə̃³¹/
	Nanjing	/ʈ͡ʂʰən²⁴/
	Hefei	/ʈ͡ʂʰən⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/t͡sʰəŋ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ʈ͡ʂʰəŋ¹³/
	Hohhot	/t͡sʰə̃ŋ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/zəŋ²³/
	Suzhou	/zən¹³/
	Hangzhou	/d͡zen²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/d͡zaŋ³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/t͡ɕʰiʌ̃⁴⁴/
Hui	Tunxi	/t͡ɕʰian⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/ʈ͡ʂən¹³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/d͡zən¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/t͡sʰɨn²⁴/
Hakka	Meixian	/t͡sʰəm¹¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/tʃʰem¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/t͡sʰɐm²¹/
	Nanning	/t͡sʰɐm²¹/
	Hong Kong	/t͡sʰɐm²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/tim³⁵/ /tiam³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/tʰɛiŋ⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/teiŋ³³/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/tim⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/sim³¹/ /hiam³¹/

Middle Chinese: /ɖˠiɪm/

Rime
Character	沉
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	澄 (11)
Final (韻)	侵 (140)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	直深切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɖˠiɪm/
Pan Wuyun	/ɖᵚim/
Shao Rongfen	/ȡiem/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɖjim/
Li Rong	/ȡjəm/
Wang Li	/ȡĭĕm/
Bernard Karlgren	/ȡʱi̯əm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chén
Expected Cantonese Reflex	cam⁴

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*l'um/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	沉
Reading #	1/1
No.	15256
Phonetic component	冘
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	沈
Old Chinese	/*l'um/
Notes	俗沈字見易林漢碑

Definitions

沉

to sink; to submerge (into water)
我頂泳帽沉咗落水底。 [Cantonese, trad.]
我顶泳帽沉咗落水底。 [Cantonese, simp.]
ngo⁵ deng² wing⁶ mou^6-2 cam⁴ zo² lok⁶ seoi² dai². [Jyutping]
My swimming cap sank to the bottom of the pool.
to fall; to sink; to subside
to settle; to make sink
to suppress; to stifle; to neglect
to be neglected
to indulge in; to be given to
to hide; to be hidden
heavy; weighty
dark; gloomy
deep; profound
睡得很沉 ― shuì de hěn chén ― to sleep soundly
long (duration); prolonged; lengthy
deeply; profoundly

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 重 (“heavy”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		重
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		重
Mandarin	Beijing	沉, 重
	Taiwan	重
	Jinan	沉, 重
	Xi'an	沉, 重
	Wuhan	重
	Chengdu	重
	Guilin	重
	Yangzhou	重
	Hefei	重
Cantonese	Guangzhou	重
	Hong Kong	重
	Yangjiang	重
Gan	Nanchang	重
Hakka	Meixian	重
Jin	Taiyuan	重, 沉
Min Bei	Jian'ou	重
Min Dong	Fuzhou	重
Min Nan	Xiamen	重
	Quanzhou	重
	Zhangzhou	重
	Chaozhou	重
Wu	Suzhou	重
Wu	Wenzhou	重
Xiang	Changsha	重
Xiang	Shuangfeng	重

Dialectal synonyms of 沉 (“deep; sound (sleep)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		沉, 熟
Mandarin	Beijing	死, 實
Mandarin	Taiwan	沉, 熟
Cantonese	Guangzhou	淰
Cantonese	Hong Kong	淰
Min Nan	Tainan	沉

Compounds

Derived terms from 沉

下沉 (xiàchén)
不沉木
低沉 (dīchén)
口沉
小隙沉舟
屁股沉
屈沉
意志消沉
打破沉默
折戟沉沙 (zhéjǐchénshā)
提沉
昏昏沉沉
昏沉 (hūnchén)
月落星沉
沉伏
沉冤 (chényuān)
沉冤莫白
沉冥
沉勇
沉厚
沉厚寡言
沉吟 (chényín)
沉吟章句
沉寂 (chénjì)
沉屁股
沉心
沉思 (chénsī)
沉抑
沉李浮瓜
沉枷
沉毅
沉水
沉水香
沉沉 (chénchén)
沉浮 (chénfú)
沉浸 (chénjìn)
沉渣 (chénzhā)
沉湎 (chénmiǎn)
沉湎淫逸
沉湖 (Chénhú)
沉溺 (chénnì)
沉甸甸 (chéndiàndiàn)
沉痛 (chéntòng)
沉痼
沉眠
沉睡 (chénshuì)
沉箱 (chénxiāng)
沉舟破釜
沉菜
沉落 (chénluò)
沉著 (chénzhuó)
沉著痛快
沉迷 (chénmí)
沉邃

沉酣 (chénhān)
沉醉 (chénzuì)
沉重 (chénzhòng)
沉重寡言
沉重少言
沉降 (chénjiàng)
沉陷 (chénxiàn)
沉雄
沉雄古逸
沉香 (chénxiāng)
沉默 (chénmò)
沉默寡言 (chénmòguǎyán)
沉默是金 (chénmò shì jīn)
浮沉 (fúchén)
浮瓜沉李
浮石沉木
消沉 (xiāochén)
深沉 (shēnchén)
淹沉
湮沉
玄石沉湎
玉石同沉
玉碎珠沉
珠沉玉碎
珠沉璧碎
石沉大海 (shíchéndàhǎi)
破釜沉舟 (pòfǔchénzhōu)
破釜沉船
碧沉沉
耳沉 (ěrchén)
黑沉沉 (hēichénchén)
升沉
一頭兒沉／一头儿沉 (yītóurchén)
兔缺烏沉／兔缺乌沉
南極星沉／南极星沉
悶沉沉／闷沉沉
打個沉兒／打个沉儿
暮氣沉沉／暮气沉沉
死氣沉沉／死气沉沉 (sǐqìchénchén)
沉下臉／沉下脸
沉不住氣／沉不住气
沉住氣／沉住气
沉博絕麗／沉博绝丽
沉得住氣／沉得住气
沉悶／沉闷 (chénmèn)
沉憂／沉忧
沉沒／沉没 (chénmò)
沉淪／沉沦 (chénlún)
沉滯／沉滞
沉漸剛克／沉渐刚克
沉潛剛克／沉潜刚克
沉澱／沉淀 (chéndiàn)
沉灶產蛙／沉灶产蛙
沉痾／沉疴 (chén'ē)

沉積／沉积 (chénjī)
沉積作用／沉积作用
沉積岩／沉积岩 (chénjīyán)
沉積物／沉积物 (chénjīwù)
沉穩／沉稳 (chénwěn)
沉綿／沉绵
沉脈／沉脉
沉遠／沉远
沉陰／沉阴
沉靜／沉静 (chénjìng)
沉靜少言／沉静少言
沉鬱／沉郁 (chényù)
沉鬱頓挫／沉郁顿挫
沉魚落雁／沉鱼落雁 (chényúluòyàn)
浮沉船塢／浮沉船坞
浮沉酒醆／浮沉酒盏
海相沉積／海相沉积
珠沉滄海／珠沉沧海
珠沉玉沒／珠沉玉没
神州陸沉／神州陆沉 (shénzhōulùchén)
積羽沉舟／积羽沉舟
缾沉簪折／瓶沉簪折
聽沉／听沉
與世沉浮／与世沉浮
與世浮沉／与世浮沉
與時浮沉／与时浮沉
船沉鉅鹿／船沉巨鹿
落雁沉魚／落雁沉鱼
載沉載浮／载沉载浮
轟沉／轰沉
鉤沉／钩沉 (gōuchén)
銀質沉著／银质沉著
鐵鎖沉江／铁锁沉江
閉目沉思／闭目沉思
陰沉／阴沉 (yīnchén)
陰沉木／阴沉木
陰沉沉／阴沉沉
陰陰沉沉／阴阴沉沉
陸沉／陆沉 (lùchén)
陸相沉積／陆相沉积
隨世沉浮／随世沉浮
隨俗沉浮／随俗沉浮
隨俗浮沉／随俗浮沉
雁杳魚沉／雁杳鱼沉 (yànyǎoyúchén)
飛沉／飞沉
香銷玉沉／香销玉沉
體沉／体沉
鬱沉沉／郁沉沉
魚沉／鱼沉
魚沉雁杳／鱼沉雁杳 (yúchényànyǎo)
魚沉雁渺／鱼沉雁渺
魚沉雁落／鱼沉雁落
魚雁沉沉／鱼雁沉沉

Japanese

Kanji

沉

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

Go-on: しん (shin); じん (jin)
Kan-on: しん (shin); ちん (chin)
Kun: しずむ (shizumu, 沉む); しずめる (shizumeru, 沉める)

Korean

Hanja

沉 • (chim, sim) (hangeul 침, 심, revised chim, sim, McCune–Reischauer ch'im, sim, Yale chim, sim)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

沉: Hán Nôm readings: tròm, chằm, chìm, đắm, đẫm, ngằm, ngầm, trằm, trầm, đẵm

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.