Learn a Chinese Character - 浸

1. Character Basics

Radical: 氵/shuǐ (water radical)

Stroke Count: 10

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jìn (fourth tone)

3. Meaning

To soak, to immerse, to steep

4. Common Words

• 浸泡 (jìn pào) - to soak, to steep
• 沉浸 (chén jìn) - to immerse, to be fully absorbed in
• 浸透 (jìn tòu) - to soak through, to permeate
• 浸润 (jìn rùn) - to moisten, to permeate
• 浸种 (jìn zhǒng) - seed soaking (agriculture)
• 浸洗 (jìn xǐ) - to soak and wash

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as a verb

Usage Patterns:

• 浸 + Noun: 浸泡衣物 (jìn pào yīwù) - to soak clothes
• 沉浸 + 在 + Noun + 中: 沉浸在音乐中 (chén jìn zài yīnyuè zhōng) - to be immersed in music
• 被 + 液体 + 浸透: 衣服被雨水浸透了 (yīfu bèi yǔshuǐ jìn tòu le) - The clothes were soaked through by the rain

Idioms:

• 浸润之谮 (jìn rùn zhī zèn) - Subtle slander that slowly poisons someone's reputation

6. Cultural Background

Traditional Crafts: In traditional Chinese dyeing and brewing processes, soaking is an essential step to extract colors or flavors.

Tea Culture: The process of steeping tea leaves is central to Chinese tea ceremonies, where the proper soaking time determines the taste and aroma of the tea.

Traditional Medicine: Herbal remedies often involve soaking herbs in alcohol or water to extract their medicinal properties.

Literary Expression: The word "沉浸" (chén jìn) is commonly used in literature to describe being deeply absorbed in emotions or experiences.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Character Breakdown: "浸" is composed of "氵" (water radical) on the left and "臤" (qiān) on the right.

Visual Association: The left part "氵" clearly indicates a connection with water. The right part "臤" can be associated with "坚固" (jiāngù, solid/firm). Imagine soaking something in water to make it either softer or to extract its essence, which is a common process in cooking, dyeing, or making tea.

Mnemonic Device: "水" (water) + "臤" (firm) = 浸 (to soak). Think of soaking a firm object in water to change its properties.