HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #18353, Very Hard
渗
shèn
to ooze
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #18353, Very Hard
渗
shèn
to horrify
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #18353, Very Hard
渗
shèn
to seep, to permeate, to infiltrate
HSK 7, v, 11 strokes, radical 氵, rank #18353, Very Hard
shèn(shen4)shen T4
1to seep
2to ooze
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
渗(滲)shèn(shen4)
The character 渗 (shèn) primarily means 'to seep' or 'to ooze.' It is often used in contexts related to liquids permeating through surfaces or materials, as well as metaphorically to describe emotions or ideas infiltrating a person's mind. The nuance of this word can also imply a slow, gradual process of penetration or infiltration.
Strokes11Radical氵Frequency#18353DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of things seeping or infiltrating is often used in literature and poetry to describe the slow yet profound impact of experiences on a person's psyche. The imagery of water seeping into the ground can also symbolize the gradual acceptance of change.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sponge (representing 渗) soaking up water. The water seeps into the sponge slowly, and the sound of the water 'sh' as it enters the sponge can help you remember the pronunciation 'shèn.' Visualizing this gradual absorption connects the character's form and meaning.
Meanings of 渗
shèn(shen4)
1to seep
2to ooze
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 渗 means.
About 渗
渗Simplified
滲Traditional
11Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#18353Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 渗
Podcast: 渗
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 渗
Quick Contrast
渗 (shèn) vs 漏 (lòu) — use 渗 for a gradual seepage, while 漏 implies a more sudden leak.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 渗 with 侵 (qīn), which means 'to invade,' as both involve a form of penetration. The usage of 渗 is typically more neutral and descriptive. It can be used in both informal and formal contexts, but be careful with the tone; the fourth tone can change the meaning in other contexts.
HSK Study Tips
Although 渗 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other verbs describing actions and processes, such as 流 (liú, 'to flow') and 渡 (dù, 'to cross'). Students should focus on recognizing its use in contexts involving liquids and emotions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 渗 with 漏 (lòu, 'to leak'), which refers to an unintended escape of liquid. For example, saying '水渗了' (shuǐ shèn le) to mean 'the water leaked' is incorrect; it should be '水漏了' (shuǐ lòu le).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 渗
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 渗 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 渗 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 渗?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 渗 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
渗 = 氵 + 参. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 渗
IDS Structure⿰氵参
渗Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
参can1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 渗?
How to say to seep in Chinese
“to seep” in Chinese is渗shèn
The character 渗 (shèn) primarily means 'to seep' or 'to ooze.' It is often used in contexts related to liquids permeating through surfaces or materials, as well as metaphorically to describe emotions or ideas infiltrating a person's mind. The nuance of this word can also imply a slow, gradual process of penetration or infiltration.
When to use 渗
Common mistakes include confusing 渗 with 侵 (qīn), which means 'to invade,' as both involve a form of penetration. The usage of 渗 is typically more neutral and descriptive. It can be used in both informal and formal contexts, but be careful with the tone; the fourth tone can change the meaning in other contexts.
渗 or something close to it
渗 (shèn) vs 漏 (lòu) — use 渗 for a gradual seepage, while 漏 implies a more sudden leak.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 渗 with 漏 (lòu, 'to leak'), which refers to an unintended escape of liquid. For example, saying '水渗了' (shuǐ shèn le) to mean 'the water leaked' is incorrect; it should be '水漏了' (shuǐ lòu le).
Write 渗
渗
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 渗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 渗
渗 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
最终，水会____透进周围的混凝土中。
Eventually, the water will permeate through the surrounding concrete.
Example Sentences for 渗 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
最终，水会渗透进周围的混凝土中。
zuì zhōng， ， shuǐ huì shèn tòu jìn zhōu wéi de hùn níng tǔ。
Eventually, the water will permeate through the surrounding concrete.
2
她抬头看了我一眼，发际渗出细密的汗珠。
tā tái tóu kàn le wǒ yī yǎn， ， fā jì shèn chū xì mì de hàn。
She looked up at me with pinpricks of sweat along her hairline.
3
从汉福德受污染的土地里渗出的有毒物质很快就在水中稀释了。
cóng hàn fú dé shòu wū rǎn de tǔ dì lǐ shèn chū de yǒu dú wù zhì hěn kuài jiù zài shuǐ zhōng xī shì le。
The poisons seeping from Hanford's contaminated land quickly dilute in the water.
4
一块深红色的污渍正在他的衬衫上渗开。
yī kuài shēn hóng sè de wū zì zhèng zài tā de chèn shān shàng shèn kāi。
A dark red stain was spreading across his shirt.
5
血流得太多，渗透了我的平脚短裤。
xiě liú dé tài duō， ， shèn tòu le wǒ de píng jiǎo duǎn。
There was so much blood it had soaked through my boxer shorts.
6
水慢慢流走了，渗入了疏松的土壤。
shuǐ màn màn liú zǒu le， ， shèn rù le shū sōng de tǔ。
The water slowly drained away, down through the porous soil.
7
泳池四周的玻璃钢面开裂，水渗了出来。
yǒng chí sì zhōu de bō lí gāng miàn kāi liè， ， shuǐ shèn le chū。
The pool's fiberglass sides had cracked and the water had leaked out.
