Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
淹没 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
淹没yānmòto submergeHSK 6, v, rank #9393, Hard
淹没yānmòto drownHSK 6, v, rank #9393, Hard
淹没yānmòto floodHSK 6, v, rank #9393, Hard
淹没yānmòto drown out (also fig.)HSK 6, v, rank #9393, Hard
yānmò(yan1mo4) T1
  1. 1to submerge
  2. 2to drown
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
淹没(淹沒)yānmò(yan1mo4)

淹没 (yān mò) refers to the act of submerging something completely underwater or overwhelming it to the point of being unrecognizable. Commonly used in contexts involving natural disasters like floods, it can also have figurative meanings, such as being overwhelmed by emotions or responsibilities.

Frequency#9393DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

淹没 is relevant in discussions about China's frequent flooding issues, such as the Yangtze River floods, which have significantly impacted cities and agriculture throughout history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant wave (淹) that completely covers a small boat (没), making it disappear from sight. The sound of ‘yān’ is like the rush of water, while ‘mò’ evokes the idea of something being lost beneath the surface.

Meanings of 淹没

yānmò(yan1mo4)
1to submerge
2to drown
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 淹没

淹没Simplified
淹沒Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9393Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 淹没

JasonAmy

Podcast: 淹没

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 淹没

Quick Contrast

淹没 (yānmò) vs 淹死 (yān sǐ): use 淹没 for submerging or overwhelming in a broader sense, while 淹死 specifically refers to drowning.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant wave (淹) that completely covers a small boat (没), making it disappear from sight. The sound of ‘yān’ is like the rush of water, while ‘mò’ evokes the idea of something being lost beneath the surface.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 淹没 with similar verbs like 沉 (chén) which also means to sink but lacks the connotation of flooding or overwhelming. It is generally used in formal contexts, especially when discussing natural phenomena or significant emotional experiences.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 淹没 connects with other verbs describing actions and states, like 沉淀 (chén diàn - to precipitate) and 灌溉 (guàn gài - to irrigate). Focus on using it in sentences that describe both literal and metaphorical submergence.

Cultural Note

淹没 is relevant in discussions about China's frequent flooding issues, such as the Yangtze River floods, which have significantly impacted cities and agriculture throughout history.

Common Mistakes

Many learners mistakenly use 淹没 when they mean to say 'to sink' (沉). For instance, saying '我淹没了我的书' (I submerged my book) is incorrect; it should be '我把书沉了' (I sank my book).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 淹没

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 淹没 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Component Characters

淹yānto flood
HSK 611 strokes氵
View full entry
没méi(negative prefix for verbs)
HSK 17 strokes氵
View full entry

Write 淹没

淹
没

Practice writing 淹没 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 淹没

淹没 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

上班时，他____在枯燥乏味的会海中。

At work, he was chained to a system of boring meetings.

Example Sentences for 淹没 (8)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
上班时，他淹没在枯燥乏味的会海中。

shàng bān shí， ， tā yān méi zài kū zào fá wèi de huì hǎi。

At work, he was chained to a system of boring meetings.
2
海滩上有些地方在涨潮时完全淹没在水中。

hǎi tān shàng yǒu xiē dì fāng zài zhǎng cháo shí wán quán yān méi zài shuǐ zhōng。

Some stretches of beach are completely underwater at high tide.
3
洞口大半都淹没在湖里。

dòng kǒu dà bàn dū yān méi zài hú lǐ。

Most of the mouth of the cave was submerged in the lake.
4
水快涨到跟岩石一样高了，很快就会淹没它。

shuǐ kuài zhǎng dào gēn yán shí yī yàng gāo le， ， hěn kuài jiù huì yān méi。

The waters were rising about the rock and would soon submerge it.
5
我们淹没在大量的数据中却找不到有用的信息。

wǒ mén yān méi zài dà liáng de shù jù zhōng què zhǎo bù dào yǒu yòng de xìn xī。

We were drowning in data but starved of information.
6
他已骑车出了剑桥，淹没在几百名年轻的自行车手当中。

tā yǐ qí chē chū le jiàn qiáo， ， yān méi zài jī bǎi míng nián qīng de zì háng chē shǒu dāng。

He had ridden out of Cambridge, inconspicuous among the hundreds of young cyclists.
7
这时它缓缓地在树干和矮树间漂浮着,又浮到被洪水淹没的陆地上.

zhè shí tā huǎn huǎn dì zài shù gān hé ǎi shù jiān piāo fú zháo, , yòu fú dào bèi hóng shuǐ yān méi de lù dì.

Slowly now it floated among logs and brushwood and over the flooded land.
8
孤单的时候找好朋友聊天、逛街、吃饭.不要让孤寂淹没自己.

gū dān de shí hòu zhǎo hǎo péng yǒu liáo tiān、 、 guàng、 jiē 、. chī fàn . bù yào ràng gū jì yān.

When ur lonely, find some friends to shop and dine.

Cultural Notes for 淹没

🏮Cultural insight

淹没 is relevant in discussions about China's frequent flooding issues, such as the Yangtze River floods, which have significantly impacted cities and agriculture throughout history.

Frequently Asked Questions about 淹没

Yes, it can describe being overwhelmed by emotions, such as feeling 'drowned' in stress.