Meanings of 耽
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About 耽
Podcast: 耽
Podcast: 耽
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AI Study Notes for 耽
耽 (dān) vs 浪费 (làngfèi) — choose 耽 when emphasizing indulgence or absorption in an activity, whereas 浪费 focuses on wastefulness or squandering time.
Be careful not to confuse 耽 with similar-sounding words, as it can easily be misused in contexts of time management. It is generally informal, so it might not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 耽误 (dānwù, to delay) and 耽溺 (dānnì, to indulge excessively).
Although not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding 耽 can enhance your comprehension of phrases that discuss time and indulgence. Focus on similar words like 耽误 and related concepts to build a broader vocabulary around delay and indulgence.
Learners often confuse 耽 with 耽误 (dānwù) and use it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '我耽误了看书' (Wǒ dānle kànshū) is wrong; it should be '我耽误了时间去看书' (Wǒ dānwùle shíjiān qù kànshū) to express delaying time to read.
Pronunciation of 耽
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Etymology of 耽
Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 冘 represents the sound. Simplified form of 躭.
ear
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 耽
Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 冘 represents the sound. Simplified form of 躭.
- 1The meaning half耳 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half冘 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayear
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 耽? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 耽
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How to say to indulge in in Chinese
“to indulge in” in Chinese is耽
The character 耽 (dān) primarily means to indulge in something or to delay. It is often used in contexts where one is overly absorbed in an activity, leading to procrastination or a lack of time management. It can also imply a sense of deep engagement that may not always be productive.
When to use 耽
Be careful not to confuse 耽 with similar-sounding words, as it can easily be misused in contexts of time management. It is generally informal, so it might not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 耽误 (dānwù, to delay) and 耽溺 (dānnì, to indulge excessively).
耽 or something close to it
耽 (dān) vs 浪费 (làngfèi) — choose 耽 when emphasizing indulgence or absorption in an activity, whereas 浪费 focuses on wastefulness or squandering time.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 耽 with 耽误 (dānwù) and use it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '我耽误了看书' (Wǒ dānle kànshū) is wrong; it should be '我耽误了时间去看书' (Wǒ dānwùle shíjiān qù kànshū) to express delaying time to read.
Write 耽
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Practice writing 耽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 耽
耽 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 3 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.
Complete the Sentence
时间____误不得。
Time must not be wasted.
Example Sentences for 耽 (5)
Word Family of 耽
Compound Meaning
What does 耽误 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 耽
You can say '我耽误了时间' (Wǒ dānwùle shíjiān), meaning 'I delayed my time.'
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