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March 24, 2026
沈chén(chen2)
The character 沈 (chén) primarily means 'to sink' or 'to submerge.' It is often used in contexts where something is submerged in water or figuratively when referring to being deeply involved or addicted to something. Additionally, it serves as a common surname in Chinese culture.
Strokes7Radical氵Frequency#24775DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The surname 沈 (Shěn) is historically significant, with notable figures in Chinese history and literature, such as Shen Kuo, a prominent scientist and philosopher of the Song Dynasty. It is also associated with several places in China.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heavy stone (the radical 水, meaning water) sinking deep into a lake, illustrating both the meaning of 'to sink' and the pronunciation 'chén.' Visualize a person being submerged in their favorite activity, emphasizing the concept of addiction.
Meanings of 沈
chén(chen2)
primary
1to sink, to submerge; addicted; surname
2place name
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 沈
沈Simplified
7Strokes
氵Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 沈
Podcast: 沈
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AI Study Notes for 沈
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 沈 (chén) with the similar-sounding 沉 (chén), which also means 'to sink' but has a slightly different nuance. The character is more commonly used in formal contexts as a surname. Common collocations include 沉迷 (chénmí), meaning 'to be addicted to.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 沈 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words related to water and depth, such as 浸 (jìn, to soak) and 沉 (chén, to sink). Focus on recognizing its use in literature or formal texts to gain a deeper understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 沈 (chén) with 沉 (chén), using them interchangeably. For example, saying 沉入水中 instead of 沈入水中 is incorrect; the correct phrase for 'to sink into the water' is 沈入水中.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 沈
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Drill the tone of 沈 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 冘 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half冘 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 沈? 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 沈?
Decomposition of 沈
IDS Structure⿰氵冘
沈Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
冘yin2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 沈?
How to say surname Shen in Chinese
“surname Shen” in Chinese is沈shěn
The character 沈 (chén) primarily means 'to sink' or 'to submerge.' It is often used in contexts where something is submerged in water or figuratively when referring to being deeply involved or addicted to something. Additionally, it serves as a common surname in Chinese culture.
When to use 沈
Be careful not to confuse 沈 (chén) with the similar-sounding 沉 (chén), which also means 'to sink' but has a slightly different nuance. The character is more commonly used in formal contexts as a surname. Common collocations include 沉迷 (chénmí), meaning 'to be addicted to.'
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 沈 (chén) with 沉 (chén), using them interchangeably. For example, saying 沉入水中 instead of 沈入水中 is incorrect; the correct phrase for 'to sink into the water' is 沈入水中.
Write 沈
沈
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Practice writing 沈 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 沈
沈 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
____阳哪里有卖通化东宝生产的胰岛素?
Does Shenyang where have the insulin that sells a Hua Dongbao production?
Example Sentences for 沈 (7)
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1
沈阳哪里有卖通化东宝生产的胰岛素?
shěn yáng nǎ lǐ yǒu mài tōng huà dōng bǎo shēng chǎn de yí dǎo sù?
Does Shenyang where have the insulin that sells a Hua Dongbao production?
