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沦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沦lúnsunk, submerged; to perish, to be lostzg, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #25132, Hard
沦lúnto sink (into ruin, oblivion)unknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #25132, Hard
沦lúnto be reduced tounknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #25132, Hard
lún(lun2) T2
  1. 1sunk, submerged; to perish, to be lost
  2. 2to sink (into ruin, oblivion)
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March 24, 2026
沦(淪)lún(lun2)

The character 沦 (lún) primarily means 'to sink' or 'to submerge,' often used metaphorically to describe a state of decline or loss. It's commonly used in contexts relating to being lost or forgotten, such as in literature or discussions about historical events and societal issues.

Strokes7Radical氵Frequency#25132DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the concept of 沦 is often associated with dynastic changes, where great empires have fallen into ruin, serving as a cautionary tale about the impermanence of power and glory.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large ship (the radical 水, meaning water) sinking into the ocean, drowning in the depths. The sound 'lún' can remind you of the whirling motion of the water as it pulls the ship down into the abyss.

Meanings of 沦

lún(lun2)
1sunk, submerged; to perish, to be lost
2to sink (into ruin, oblivion)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 沦

沦Simplified
淪Traditional
7Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沦

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Podcast: 沦

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AI Study Notes for 沦

Quick Contrast

沉 (chén) — use 沦 when emphasizing a metaphorical decline or loss, whereas 沉 focuses on physical sinking or heaviness.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a large ship (the radical 水, meaning water) sinking into the ocean, drowning in the depths. The sound 'lún' can remind you of the whirling motion of the water as it pulls the ship down into the abyss.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 沦 with similar-sounding characters, as it has a more negative connotation. This word is generally used in formal contexts, particularly in literature and discussions of historical decline. Common collocations include 沦落 (lúnluò), meaning 'to fall into ruin.'

HSK Study Tips

While 沦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to HSK vocabulary about loss and decline. Students at this level should focus on understanding its metaphorical uses in various contexts, particularly in literature.

Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the concept of 沦 is often associated with dynastic changes, where great empires have fallen into ruin, serving as a cautionary tale about the impermanence of power and glory.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沦 with similar characters like 淪 (lún), which has slightly different meanings. For example, saying '他沦落了' (tā lúnluòle) is correct, while '他淪落了' can lead to confusion due to contextual differences.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沦

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Etymology of 沦

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 仑 represents the sound. Simplified form of 淪.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)仑
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 沦?

Decomposition of 沦

IDS Structure⿰氵仑
沦Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
仑lun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 沦?

Write 沦

沦

Practice writing 沦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 沦

沦 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

总统一职似乎正在____为政治上的摆设。

The presidency is beginning to appear a political irrelevance.

Example Sentences for 沦 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
总统一职似乎正在沦为政治上的摆设。

zǒng tǒng yī zhí sì hū zhèng zài lún wéi zhèng zhì shàng de bǎi shè。

The presidency is beginning to appear a political irrelevance.
2
这很大程度上就是不成功便沉沦。

zhè hěn dà chéng dù shàng jiù shì bù chéng gōng biàn chén lún。

It was very much sink or swim.
3
污染已经使大片地区沦为不毛之地。

wū rǎn yǐ jīng shǐ dà piàn dì qū lún wéi bù máo zhī dì。

The pollution has already turned vast areas into a wasteland.
4
很多逃到伦敦来的姑娘最后都沦为妓女.

hěn duō táo dào lún dūn lái de gū niáng zuì hòu dū lún wéi jì nǚ.

Many girls who run away to London eventually go on the streets.
5
以过氧化二苯甲酰为引发剂,使 丙烯 睛在涤沦(PET ) 纤维上接枝共聚.

yǐ guò yǎng huà èr běn jiǎ xiān wéi yǐn fā jì, , shǐ bǐng xī jīng(PET) zài dí lún (PET ) xiān wéi shàng.

PET fibres were grafted acrylonitrile ( AN ) initiated by benzoyl peroxide.

Cultural Notes for 沦

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese history, the concept of 沦 is often associated with dynastic changes, where great empires have fallen into ruin, serving as a cautionary tale about the impermanence of power and glory.

Word Family of 沦

Words Containing This Character11
沦落to degenerate淪落
沦为to sink down to淪為
沉沦downfall沉淪
沦陷to be occupied淪陷
沦lúnto be reduced to淪
沦丧to be lost淪喪
沦陷区enemy-held territory淪陷區
沦亡to be annexed淪亡
沦没to sink淪沒
沦灭to perish淪滅
沦肌浃髓moved to the core淪肌浹髓
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 沦落 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沦

Common phrases include 沦落 (lúnluò), which means 'to fall into ruin,' and 沦为 (lúnwéi), meaning 'to be reduced to.'