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) T4
1to seep
2to ooze
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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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
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
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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
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 参 represents the sound. Simplified form of 滲.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half参 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 渗? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 渗?
Decomposition of 渗
IDS Structure⿰氵参
渗Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
参can1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component 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
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Practice writing 渗 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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
Complete the Sentence
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)
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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.
