sink, be submerged, subside, be depressed

About this kanji

The kanji 沈 means "sink" or "submerge" and is mainly used as a verb and in compound nouns. A few common compounds include 沈黙 (ちんもく), which means "silence," and 沈む (しずむ), meaning "to sink" or "to go under water." Another example is 沈着 (ちんちゃく), which translates to "composure," referring to a calm demeanor even in tough situations. This kanji can also imply emotional states, like feeling depressed. A useful note is that while it can relate to physical sinking, it also has symbolic meanings in emotional contexts.

Example sentences

• 船が沈んでしまった。

  The ship has sunk.

Meanings across languages

English

sink, be submerged, subside, be depressed, aloes

Tiếng Việt

chìm, bị ngợp

日本語

沈む, 沈下

한국어

가라앉다, 잠기다

中文

沉, 下沉

id

benam

th

จม

es

hundirse

fr

couler

de

sinken

pt

afundar

Common compounds

• 沈黙ちんもくsilence, being silent, quiet
• 沈むしずむto sink, to go under, to submerge
• 沈下ちんかsinking, subsidence
• 沈着ちんちゃくcomposure, calmness, self-possession
• 沈没ちんぼつsinking, foundering, going down
• 浮沈ふちんfloating and sinking, rise and fall, ebb and flow
• 沈めるしずめるto sink (e.g. a ship), to submerge, to lower (e.g. one's body into a chair)
• 沈滞ちんたいstagnation, inactivity