Meanings of 湎
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About 湎
Podcast: 湎
Podcast: 湎
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AI Study Notes for 湎
Imagine a person at a party, their face flushed and eyes glassy, struggling to maintain balance while holding a drink. The character 湎 looks like water (氵) flowing around a person (𠂉), symbolizing the intoxication from drinking.
This character is rarely used in modern spoken Mandarin, often replaced by simpler terms for 'drunk'. Be cautious with its formal tone; it's more appropriate for literary and poetic contexts rather than casual conversation.
Since 湎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is beneficial for learners to focus on commonly used terms for intoxication like 醉 (zuì). Understanding 湎 can deepen comprehension of literary texts where it may appear.
In Chinese culture, alcohol plays a significant role in social gatherings and celebrations, and terms related to intoxication are often used in poetry to express deeper emotions or social commentary.
Learners may confuse 湎 with 醉 and use it in informal contexts. For instance, saying '我今天很湎' (wǒ jīntiān hěn miǎn) would be incorrect; instead, use '我今天很醉' (wǒ jīntiān hěn zuì).
Pronunciation of 湎
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Etymology of 湎
A man's face 面 after drinking 氵; 面 also provides the pronunciation
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 湎?
Decomposition of 湎
Identify the Components
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Write 湎
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Practice writing 湎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 湎
湎 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
他沉____于过去的记忆。
He had clung to the remembrance of things past.
Example Sentences for 湎 (1)
Reorder the Sentence
He had clung to the remembrance of things past.
Cultural Notes for 湎
In Chinese culture, alcohol plays a significant role in social gatherings and celebrations, and terms related to intoxication are often used in poetry to express deeper emotions or social commentary.
Word Family of 湎
Compound Meaning
What does 沉湎 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 湎
No, 湎 is more often found in literary contexts and is not a common term in everyday speech.