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沉闷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沉闷chénmènoppressive (of weather)HSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
沉闷chénmènheavyHSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
沉闷chénmèndepressedHSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
沉闷chénmènnot happyHSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
沉闷chénmèn(of sound) dullHSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
沉闷chénmènmuffledHSK 7, a, 14 strokes, rank #13516, Very Hard
chénmèn(chen2men4)chen men T2
  1. 1oppressive (of weather)
  2. 2heavy
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March 24, 2026

沉闷(沉悶)chénmèn(chen2men4)

沉闷 (chénmèn) describes a state of heaviness or oppression, often used to characterize gloomy weather, a dull atmosphere, or a person's mood. It conveys a sense of being weighed down, whether emotionally or physically, and can also refer to sounds that are muted or lack vibrancy.

Strokes14Frequency#13516DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, weather can significantly influence mood and social interactions. A '沉闷' day might lead to less outdoor activity and more indoor gatherings, reflecting the communal aspect of coping with gloomy conditions together.

Memory Tip

Imagine a heavy, dark cloud (沉) hanging low in the sky, muffling the cheerful sounds around you (闷). The image of the cloud symbolizes the oppressive feeling, and the connection of '沉' to 'heavy' and '闷' to 'dull' helps you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 沉闷

chénmèn(chen2men4)
1oppressive (of weather)
2heavy
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 沉闷

沉闷Simplified
沉悶Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#13516Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 沉闷

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Podcast: 沉闷

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AI Study Notes for 沉闷

Quick Contrast

闷 (mèn) vs 沉重 (chénzhòng) — use 沉闷 for emotional or atmospheric heaviness, while 沉重 emphasizes physical weight.

Usage Notes

沉闷 is often used in informal contexts to describe feelings or weather. Be cautious with tone pronunciation: '沉' (2nd tone) should not be confused with '陈' (2nd tone), which means 'Chen' (a surname). Common collocations include '沉闷的天气' (oppressive weather) and '沉闷的心情' (depressed mood).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 沉闷 connects with other adjectives that describe emotional states or atmospheric conditions. Focus on using it in different contexts, such as discussing weather or personal feelings, to enhance your vocabulary around mood and atmosphere.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沉闷 with similar-sounding words like 沉重 (chénzhòng), which means 'heavy' in a physical sense. For example, saying '沉闷的书' (oppressive book) instead of '沉重的书' (heavy book) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沉闷

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Component Characters

沉chénto submerge
HSK 57 strokes氵
View full entry
闷mēnstuffy
HSK 77 strokes门
View full entry

How to say oppressive (of weather) in Chinese

“oppressive (of weather)” in Chinese is沉闷chénmèn

沉闷 (chénmèn) describes a state of heaviness or oppression, often used to characterize gloomy weather, a dull atmosphere, or a person's mood. It conveys a sense of being weighed down, whether emotionally or physically, and can also refer to sounds that are muted or lack vibrancy.

When to use 沉闷

沉闷 is often used in informal contexts to describe feelings or weather. Be cautious with tone pronunciation: '沉' (2nd tone) should not be confused with '陈' (2nd tone), which means 'Chen' (a surname). Common collocations include '沉闷的天气' (oppressive weather) and '沉闷的心情' (depressed mood).

沉闷 or something close to it

闷 (mèn) vs 沉重 (chénzhòng) — use 沉闷 for emotional or atmospheric heaviness, while 沉重 emphasizes physical weight.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沉闷 with similar-sounding words like 沉重 (chénzhòng), which means 'heavy' in a physical sense. For example, saying '沉闷的书' (oppressive book) instead of '沉重的书' (heavy book) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 沉闷

沉
闷

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Grammar Patterns of 沉闷

沉闷 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 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.

在东柏林就餐曾经是一件危险而且____无趣的事情。

Eating in East Berlin used to be a hazardous and joyless experience.

Example Sentences for 沉闷 (8)

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1
在东柏林就餐曾经是一件危险而且沉闷无趣的事情。

zài dōng bǎi lín jiù cān zēng jīng shì yī jiàn wēi xiǎn ér qiě chén mèn wú qù de shì qíng。

Eating in East Berlin used to be a hazardous and joyless experience.
2
原本显得沉闷枯燥的诗歌突然有了生气。

yuán běn xiǎn dé chén mèn kū zào de shī gē tū rán yǒu le shēng qì。

Poems which had seemed dull and boring suddenly came to life.
3
那一日阴天下雨沉闷无聊。

nà yī rì yīn tiān xià yǔ chén mèn wú liáo。

It was a wet and gloomy day.
4
只要能打破他们日常刻板、沉闷的生活，任何事情他们都喜欢。

zhī yào néng dǎ pò tā mén rì cháng kè bǎn、 、 chén mèn de shēng， huó ， rèn hé shì qíng tā mén dū。

They enjoy anything that breaks the dullness of their routine life.
5
他的小说都是些肤浅沉闷的玩意儿，只有一本除外。

tā de xiǎo shuō dū shì xiē fū qiǎn chén mèn de wán yì ér， ， zhī yǒu yī běn chú。

With one exce-ption his novels are shallow and lifeless things.
6
他让这场总体很沉闷的辩论时不时迸出了些火花。

tā ràng zhè cháng zǒng tǐ hěn chén mèn de biàn lùn shí bù shí bèng chū le xiē huǒ huā。

He managed to lighten the generally lifeless debate at times.
7
他的话给极沉闷的讲话增添了几分轻松的气氛.

tā de huà gěi jí chén mèn de jiǎng huà zēng tiān le jī fēn qīng sōng de qì fēn.

His words provided some comic relief in what was really a dull speech.
8
我敢说你在家里感到沉闷无聊.

wǒ gǎn shuō nǐ zài jiā lǐ gǎn dào chén mèn wú liáo.

I dare say you're dull at home.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 沉闷

No, 沉闷 can describe both weather and emotional states, such as feeling depressed or dull.

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