TongTong
Sign in

低沉 (dī chén) — (of weather) overcast, gloomy; (of voice or sound) low and deep, grave; (of mood) low-spirited, downcast

Definition

Describes a low, heavy quality — used for overcast weather, deep/grave voices, and a downcast mood. All three senses share the idea of something being 'low and heavy'.

adjective
(of weather) overcastgloomy(of voice or sound) low and deepgrave(of mood) low-spiriteddowncast

Examples

  • 低沉，。
    Jīn tiān de tiān qì hěn dī chén, kàn qǐ lái yào xià yǔ le.
    The weather is overcast today; it looks like it's going to rain.
  • 低沉，。
    Tā shuō huà de shēng yīn hěn dī chén, ràng rén jué de hěn kě kào.
    His speaking voice is very low and deep, which makes people feel he's dependable.
  • ，低沉。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi hòu, tā de qíng xù biàn de hěn dī chén.
    After hearing this news, his mood became very downcast.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

低dīlow
沉chéndeep/sinking

低 and 沉 both suggest a low, heavy quality, so together they describe gloom, gravity, or downcast feeling.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénman, person
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī低dī
Same sound today

In 低, the left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 氐 gives the sound; the image is a person lowering or bowing themselves.

Open 低 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 沉 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsWeather

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.